


Runaway Groom

by Vivion



Series: The Wedding Chronicles [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Also Bill speaks Spanish, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Bill is basically the weirdest person ever, Bill occasionally wears glasses, Breaking Bad jokes, M/M, Romantic Comedy, So does Will, and Dipper is just along for the ride, and also apparently Tad?, and water battles, dance battles, domestic life, everyone is in their mid twenties, how do I even write comedy idk, older!Pines, post college, this is like hella important
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-05-13 09:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 76,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5703370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vivion/pseuds/Vivion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Weddings were intended to be beautiful and memorable events. Dipper would know, having been dragged to his fair share of them since college. However there was one particular wedding that took the metaphorical cake, one that would stick with Dipper for the rest of his life. </p><p>A romantic tale of late night Taco Bell visits, zoo hi-jinks, nude swimming, and way-too-smart younger brothers, this is the story of how Dipper accidentally fell in love with a runaway groom.</p><p>*UNDER CONSTRUCTION, BUT STILL UPDATING*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Backseat Stowaway

**Author's Note:**

> *casually leaves this here* Enjoy reading! Kudos and comments are always welcomed :3
> 
> -V

"I can't believe you’re dragging me to another one of these," Dipper whined, staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror pitifully. He was wearing his only suit, the one that Paz actually given to him for graduation ("I find your lack of formal clothing to be absolutely horrendous. I felt sorry for you, so I bought you a suit. And don't you dare get it messed up or covered in dirt or whatever."). It was a simple black suit, and he had it paired with his white button up and a cream tie that Mabel had given him to wear. He looked over to the bathroom door just in time to see Mabel herself walk in. Her long yellow sundress flowed about her as she fixed the large daisy flower crown that adorned her head. "I can't believe you aren't ready yet," she prodded, her eyes zooming in on Dipper's undone tie. Once her crown was adjusted just so, she made quick work of Dipper's tie. "The ceremony starts in like 30 minutes and you don't even have your shoes on."

 

Dipper glared at his sister halfhearted as she flipped the tie about, the soft material hitting him in the face. "Thank goodness the venue is only five minutes away then," he muttered, straightening his shirt a bit. Mabel cinched up the tie into it's knot, and she patted it down to get rid of some of the wrinkles. She spun herself around so that she too was now facing the mirror, and her eyes darted between her mirrored image and Dipper's. "We're gonna steal the show!" Mabel said confidently, raising a fist in the air with a humph. Dipper rolled his eyes, "Mabel, we aren't supposed to be stealing the show. It's a wedding. That's the bride and groom to be's job."

 

Mabel lowered her hand, pouting. "We still look good though. We even match the whole spring wedding theme."

 

"No doubt about that. I'm just surprised this suit still fits me."

 

Mabel turned to Dipper. "Flex for me."

 

"What?"

 

"Flex! Flex your arm."

 

Dipper raised up his arm and flexed. Mabel took hold of his arm, squeezing the sleeve hidden muscle, and promptly pretended to swoon. "Oh Dipper! You're sooo strong! Stronger than...than Hercules!"

 

Dipper brushed her off, a light blush creeping along his cheeks. Years spent endlessly wandering and exploring the forest behind their family's house during his spare time in high school had sort of...bulked Dipper up. In his junior and senior year, Dipper had joined the swim team to get his P.E. credits he had been procrastinating on, which resulted in Dipper not only getting a lean, firm body, but also a full ride scholarship to college for swimming. To say he was surprised would be an understatement, and so the next four years he swam competitively as he studied. His last swim meet was...lord a year ago now, but the training regime he endured stuck with him afterwards. On late nights when his mind wouldn't shut off, Dipper found himself in his apartment complex's fitness gym, running on the treadmill, pretending to run away from his thoughts and worries. It was oddly comforting in a way, even if it did leave him all gross and sweaty.

 

Mabel laughed, poking Dipper in the arm. "C'mon tough guy, we gotta leave here soon. I'm pretty sure your shoes are in the living room." And with that, Mabel left the bathroom with a cheeky grin on her face. Dipper watched her go, then turned back to the mirror. He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling some of the strands untangle themselves. He couldn't help but wonder when Mabel would get married. So far this was the sixth (Seventh? Definitely seventh.) wedding she had dragged him to since their graduation. It seemed like all of Mabel's college buddies were either about to be engaged, engaged, or married. This time it was her friend Ashter, a redheaded girl Dipper had only seen a handful of times that reminded him of their friend Wendy. But, from what he could remember, Ashter was really sweet and nice. As for the groom however, Mabel didn't know much about him. She had seen him only once, and the only thing she really could recall was that he was tall and a couple years older than Ashter. It didn't give Dipper much to go on, but he figured he might as well just wait to see the guy himself at the wedding.

 

Dipper shut off the bathroom lights and headed toward the living room. Mabel was standing next to the front door, texting someone on her phone. She had a worried look on her face. "What's the matter?" Dipper asked, sitting down on the couch and pulling his shoes on. "Megan just texted me saying that what's-his-face might be sick," she said, her eyes not looking up from her phone.

 

"What's-his-face? You mean the groom?"

 

"Yeah. Apparently he's been locked up in his dressing room all morning and hasn't come out once, not even when they tried telling him it's almost time."

 

"That's...a little odd."

 

"No kidding."

 

Dipper finished lacing up his shoes, and grabbed his keys from the coffee table. "Let's go."

 

The two made their way out of Dipper's apartment and to the parking lot behind the complex. The drive was a quick and quiet one, Mabel on her phone the entire ride and Dipper focused on the road. They pulled up to the venue, a small little chapel where the outside that was decorated in various flowers and lacy streamers. He insisted Mabel to go ahead and help coax the groom out of his room while he parked the car. Once Mabel was out and going up the flight of stairs, Dipper turned the corner and drove into the chapel's parking lot. To his surprise, not many cars were actually parked here. _Must be a small wedding_ he thought, choosing a spot right beside the chapel. Above him he could see a window, but the curtains were pulled closed. Dipper shut off the engine and hopped out of the car, stuffing the keys into his pocket as he briskly walked to the front doors.

 

The inside of the chapel was decorated just like the outside.  Flowers and rice were strewn about, and ornate glass pieces were set up on different tables around. There was a small hallway leading into the church, and another hallway that seemed to lead to various rooms. Dipper peaked down that hallway and found a crowd of people dressed to the nines standing outside one of the doors. They all talked in hushed whispers, and Dipper spotted Mabel speaking to some of the bridesmaids. _That must be where the groom is hiding out_ Dipper observed. Not wanting to draw more attention to the scene, Dipper backed away from the hallway and into the church. Dipper glanced around at all the attendees, all of them sitting in pristine white pews and talking among themselves. Seems like they had no idea as to the situation. Dipper turned a bit to the right, and was surprised momentarily.

 

It was Ashter, who looked to be talking to an older woman, perhaps her mother? Ashter was wearing her bridal dress, a classic and simple white dress that trailed behind her. There was a jacket that was draped over her shoulders, protecting her from the slight chill inside the chapel. Her long hair was pinned up with various curled strands falling around her face. She looked worried, and Dipper reminded himself that she had every reason to be so as he made his way over to her. “Hey,” he greeted her, smiling. Ashter stopped mid sentence and looked over to him with watery eyes. “Dipper!”

 

She embraced him in a warm hug, and Dipper chuckled lightly. “I’m surprised you still remember me, it’s been awhile since I’ve last seen you.”

 

Ashter let him go, playfully hitting him on the shoulder. “How could I forget Mabel’s dorky brother? It’s good to see you! Is Mabel around with you?”

 

Dipper nodded. “She’s with the bridesmaids and groomsmen right now.”

 

“Ah, helping with my finance?” she said, little gloomy.

 

Dipper panicked a little, and quickly tried to cheer her up. “D-don’t worry! I’m sure he’s just a little nervous or something!”

 

Ashter chuckled. “He’s a lot of things, but I  wouldn’t say nervous is one of them. Have you met him before?”

 

Dipper shook his head. “Mabel doesn’t remember much about him either.”

 

“He’s...interesting. If you didn’t know him, you’d think he were kind of insane honestly but…” she trailed off, a wistful look in her eyes. “That’s what I love about him.”

 

Dipper gave her another hug, assuring her everything would be alright. He nodded once to Ashter’s mother, and with that left to go find a seat. He ended up sitting towards the back in an empty pew, not minding how far away he was. He checked the time on his phone. The ceremony should be starting any moment now. He heard someone sliding into the pew beside him, and looked up to find Mabel patting down her dress as she sat. “Any luck?” he asked, to which she shrugged. “Ashter is going to walk down the aisle first to buy some more time, but I have no idea what’s going to happen when she gets down there,” she told him.

 

And then, the pianist began to play the telltale song, and everyone turned to the chapel entrance. Dipper and Mabel watched as people began the procession down the aisle, first being the older lady Dipper had seen earlier, Ashter’s mother. The groomsmen followed right after her, and Dipper couldn’t help notice the worried looks that they all shared as they walked. Mabel nudged her brother, “This is where the best man would walk in, but he stayed behind to help get the groom out of his room.” Dipper nodded slowly, watching as the officiant walked down next. Then it was the bridesmaids turns, who also equally worked just as worried as the groomsmen. Dipper wondered if anyone else noticed besides him, and he glanced at Mabel. Turns out he wasn’t, the same worried look was adopted onto her face as well.

 

Dipper had to admit, the flower girl and ring bearer were adorable in their matching blue outfits. The little girl threw the flowers about happily with reckless abandon, not really caring if one of the flowers somehow got into her hair or on one of the attendees. The ring bearer was a bit more on the shyer side, walking closely behind the flower girl despite getting some of the flowers in his face. “That’s the groom’s younger brother,” Mabel informed Dipper. “Ashter told me the two look almost like twins even though there’s a huge age difference between them.” Dipper’s eyes trailed after the younger boy. He probably wasn’t more than 6 or 7 years old he figured. The boy was tiny and chubby, with a mass of blond curls on his head and strikingly blue eyes. Dipper could see he had freckles that ran along the bridge of his button like nose. He watched as the groom’s younger brother stumbled along, and Dipper laughed softly with the rest of the wedding goers.

 

There was a dramatic shift in the piano tune, and everyone rose from their seats, albeit a little confused since the groom wasn’t present yet. And there was Ashter, her very image alone in that moment the embodiment of beauty, holding the arm of her father. The two slowly walked down the aisle together, soaking in the attention they were receiving. Dipper could hear some of the guests speak quietly.

 

“Ashter was always so nontraditional,” one person said to another, “I’m not surprised in the slightest that she’s walking down the aisle first.”

 

Dipper could feel his chest tighten. _If only you knew the situation_ he thought solemnly, watching Ashter with sad eyes.  The pair finally made it to the end, and the father reluctantly let go of his daughter with tears in his eyes. Ashter also had tears in her eyes, but Dipper couldn’t discern if it was because of a whole different reason entirely. The piano music slowed, but never stopped as everyone waited expectantly for the groom to appear.

 

They waited a whole 3 minutes, the longest 3 minutes Dipper had felt in a very long time.

 

Suddenly, a man rushed from the hallway. _Is that him?_ Dipper wondered. He didn’t look anything like the ring bearer. This man was tall and fair skinned. His jet black hair was slicked back nicely, and Dipper could imagine on any other day that this man would be jolly and happy. But now, his face was nothing short of unhappy, upset, and irritated.

 

“He’s gone!” he shouted into the room, his voice rough. The room went shockingly still, and the pianist stopped abruptly, his fingers twitching and hitting the wrong notes. There was a moment of complete, utter silence.

 

And then chaos ensued.

 

**V^**

 

Dipper watched on helplessly as Mabel comforted a sobbing Ashter. People had slowly been filing out one by one, each of them muttering curses towards the disappearing groom. The few people that remained now were the bridesmaids, the parents, and some of the groomsmen. Dipper himself was standing next to the one that had made the shocking announcement, his face unreadable as he looked about. His name, Dipper caught, was Tad something. Tad had told the small group that he managed to get the room’s door open finally, but once inside he couldn’t find the groom anywhere.

 

“The window was wide open,” was the last thing Dipper heard Tad say, which made Ashter fall more into despair. Dipper gave the man a side glance. Something about the man was kinda strange, and Dipper couldn’t put his finger on it, but he said nothing.

 

“Are you going to say something or are you just going to keep staring at me?”

 

Dipper startled, realizing that he actually was staring, and blushed a little. “I-I’m sorry!”

 

Tad smirked at that. “Don’t worry about it.”

 

The silence that followed was awkward, so Dipper decided to ask Tad a question.

 

“How do you know the groom?” Dipper inquired, hoping he wasn’t overstepping his boundaries.

 

Tad seemed to dwell on the question for a moment before answering. “We met...in grade school I think? Or at least I’m pretty sure it was grade school. I’ve known the man for all my life.”

 

“Why do you think he left his own wedding?”

 

There was another pause before Tad’s answer. “He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t really like to settle down. I was surprised when the two of them announced their engagement because of his commitment issues, and among other things. But...he has a weird way of going about things. I’m pretty sure something happened when we all got to the chapel, but I honestly don’t know what. I’m sure he had his reasons though.”

 

Their conversation was put on hold when Mabel made her way over to Dipper, pulling him aside. “I’m really sorry about all of this,” she said, rubbing her eyes.

 

“I don’t know why you’re apologizing. Wasn’t your fault the guy up and left.”

 

“I know,” Mabel sighed. “I think I’m going to hang back here for a little while, Ashter needs me here.”

 

“Will you have a ride back to your place?”

 

“Yeah, if anything I’ll just spend the night at Ashter’s and just meet back up with you tomorrow morning.”

 

“Alright, I’ll just be at home.”

 

And with a final nod, Mabel gave his a quick hug before going back over to the sobbing girl. Dipper’s heart went out to her. Who would just leave the bride at the altar like that? Even if he had his reasons like Tad said, the guy should still have the decency to at least confront the situation and not be a coward. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could feel a headache coming on.

 

Quietly he excused himself from the scene, making his way back to his car. As he approached the car, he didn’t notice the window that he was parked to was wide open, too preoccupied with fishing out his keys. When he pushed the key into the door’s lock and turned, he was surprised to find that the car was already unlocked. _That’s...weird, did I forget to lock it?_ he asked himself as he slid into the driver’s seat and pulling on the seat belt. He started the car without further thought and pulled out of the parking lot.

 

 _Man I’m hungry_ he thought idly. _Maybe I should go grab something to eat before heading home._ He checked the time on the dash. It was already 5:38, and Dipper felt his stomach growl. Food it is he decided.

 

He didn’t hear the slight rustling in the backseat, but what he did hear was,

 

“Can you stop by Taco Bell? I’m fucking starving!”

 

Dipper screamed, and the car veered dangerously to the left, going into the other lane. Something in the back seat toppled over with a loud grunt. Thankfully the roads were clear, and Dipper quickly corrected himself, but his heart was racing and he felt like he just had a minor heart attack. He pulled over to the side of the road and parked haphazardly. Dipper whipped around in his seat, and he came face to face with a man he had never seen before.

 

The man was lying down in the backseat, cradling his head. “You’re more of a horrible driver than I am!” he cried out, and Dipper’s eye twitched.

 

“Well excuse me for freaking out when some hitchhiker decided to scare the ever living shit out of me!” Dipper said angrily.

 

“I’m not a hitchhiker! Well, that isn’t entirely true,” the stranger trailed off, and that was when Dipper actually got a good look at the guy.

 

He wore a fancy white jacket that had black detailing on the lapels and black dress pants. His tie was cream colored like Dipper’s own, but the knot was pulled loose. When the man moved his arms, Dipper was greeted with the sight of short wavy blond hair. He had a few freckles along his nose, and when his eyes opened Dipper found those green orbs boring into his own. He looked an awful lot like…

 

It suddenly clicked in Dipper’s head.

 

“You’re the runaway groom!” he cried, pointing at the man’s face. Said runaway groom laughed at that, pushing the hand away.

 

“Indeed I am!” he confirmed a little too cheerfully. “Bill Cipher, the one and only!”

 

Dipper was lost for words as Bill scrambled up from the seat. “Shotgun!” Bill called, crawling his way into the passenger seat. He buckled himself in, and turned to his new chauffeur. Dipper looked at Bill as if the man had just eaten someone.

 

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Dipper accused, his eyes glaring.

 

“What’s wrong with me?” Bill repeated, mocking offense. “What the hell is wrong with you? Can't you hear my stomach growling?”

 

“W-what?!"

 

And sure enough, as if on cue, Bill's stomach growled loudly, and Dipper looked at the man in disbelief. 

 

"Why did you ditch your own wedding?!”

 

Bill laughed, and Dipper wanted to punch the guy. “Well you see, Mr Chauffeur,” Bill explained, “I left because I couldn’t go through with it. When it comes down to it, I didn’t love the girl. So I left.”

 

Dipper looked at Bill duly. “Through the window?”

 

“Through the window.”

 

“How the hell did you get in my car?”

 

“Well some idiot left it unlocked, not my fault! I merely decided to hide out there and wait.”

 

Again, Dipper was lost for words. The man’s insane, there’s no way around it. Suddenly, Bill patted Dipper’s face. “¡Vamonos! ¡Llévame a Taco Bell o yo te maldigo con mil soles!” Bill cheered happily, and Dipper looked at him confused.

 

“Did you just speak Spanish?”

 

“We are wasting precious time, kid! Hurry to Taco Bell before my stomach gives way!”

 

“I highly doubt your stomach will give way,” Dipper grumbled, finally putting the car in drive. Dipper's stomach turned whenever he glanced over at Bill, who was now idly humming along to whatever song was on the radio. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was a horrible idea.


	2. Not What It Looks Like

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting basically two days in a row because I procrastinate like crazy! Sorry if the chapter is weird at all, I'm like hella tired right now but I wanted to post this before I forgot. Enjoy reading! 
> 
> -V

Dipper has had some really uncomfortable moments in his life, his first time having to wear a spandex swimsuit, when he accidentally walked in on one of Mabel’s infamous girl’s nights, that one time in college when someone spiked the punch bowl and he got super drunk and almost, _almost_ went to an orgy. But, even if all of those uncomfortable moments were combined into one, they still wouldn’t match just how uncomfortable he was right now.

 

Dipper looked around uneasily as Bill scarfed down a chicken quesadilla like a wolf. Dipper hadn’t touched his food yet though, how could he when every patron in Taco Bell was looking at the two of them together? Dipper figured it was the clothes, it wasn’t every day when two grown men ate together at Taco Bell dressed in their best suits. One said man was eating like he was starved for weeks. Dipper just silently willed everyone to go away, and Bill finally looked up from his food. “Not gonna eat, kid?” he asked, reaching out to grab one of Dipper’s tacos. Dipper grimaced when he saw the food in Bill’s mouth, and swatted the man’s hand away just in time to save his taco from being stolen.

 

“I have a name you know,” Dipper muttered.

 

“Really? That’s pretty cool!” Bill said sarcastically, taking a sip of his drink (or was it Dipper’s? He was pretty sure Bill didn’t even get a drink…). “What is it?”

 

Dipper glared at the man sitting across from him. “Dipper Pines.”

 

Bill choked, his throat bubbling with laughter. “Your name is Dipper? As in like the constellations Big Dipper and Little Dipper?”

 

Dipper groaned, rolling his eyes. “It’s not my real name, everyone calls me Dipper and I just roll with it.”

 

“I wonder what your real name is?” Bill asked expectantly, taking another sip of his (Dipper’s) drink.

 

Dipper glared at him. “If I told you I’d have to kill you.”

 

Surprised, Bill did a spit take away from their table and over to the neighboring table. Bill was laughing so hard he didn’t realize that he got soda on the couple sitting next to them, and Dipper gave an embarrassed apologetic look when the couple got up to move elsewhere. Dipper finally picked up his taco and began to eat as Bill recovered from his outburst. How had they not been kicked out yet?

 

“So, Dipper,” Bill began, wiping away a stray tear from his cheek, “When are we heading back to your place?”

 

This time Dipper was the one to choke, nearly spitting out his food but he composed himself just in time. He looked at Bill incredulously, “Excuse me?”

 

“When are we heading out? I can’t exactly go back to my place because there’s probably a swarm of ladies and a very upset used-to-be bride.”

 

“Oh no, no way in hell.”

 

“What?! Why not?”

 

“Because I said so.”

 

“But what if you didn’t say so?”

 

“But I do say so!”

 

“No you don’t!”

 

“Yes I do!”

 

“No, you don’t.”

 

“Do too!”

 

“Nope!”

 

“When didn’t I say so?”

 

“Just now!”

 

“What? No I didn’t”

 

“Uh, yeah you didn’t.”

 

“Yeah, I know I didn’t!”

 

“So you don’t say so?”

 

“Yes!!”

 

“Awesome! Let’s get going then!” Bill clapped his hands together, gaining more glares from people, and started picking up his trash. Dipper sat there dumbly with a confused look on his face. _What the hell just happened?_ He glanced at Bill. “Did you just…3 Stooges your way into coming home with me?”

 

Bill gave him a devilish grin, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, let alone even know what ‘3 Stooges’ is.”

 

Dipper stared at Bill as the man got up to throw away his food. Just...who the hell even is this guy? Why on earth is Dipper being tortured like this? What did he even do to deserve this?

 

 _Probably because you forgot to lock your car_ Dipper scolded himself. _This all could have been avoided if you had just locked your car, or even parked somewhere else for that matter. Or maybe it was because you ate the last donut at work last week. Actually that’s probably the reason why. Maybe._

 

Dipper startled when Bill slammed his hands down on the table, taking Dipper out of his thoughts. “You should probably finish eating, kid. The sooner you finish your food the sooner we can get out of here and away from these people.”

 

Dipper looked around again. Looks like they were still the center of attention, light whispers and murmurs floating about the room. Dipper sighed, “You’re the one that wanted to go inside and eat. Also stop calling me ‘kid’.”

 

Bill rolled his eyes, “Anyone that is considerably younger than me is classified as a kid, that includes you.”

 

“I’m literally 25!”

 

“And I’m 29.”

 

“So, then by your definition of a ‘kid’ does that make you a senior?”

 

Dipper could have laughed at the way Bill’s eye twitched. Bill crossed his arms with a huff, “Just finish your food, kid.”

 

“Whatever you say, old man,” Dipper grinned cheekily, picking up his food finally.

 

Bill reached across the table and flicked Dipper in the nose.

 

Dipper put down his taco and reached across the table and flicked Bill’s cheek.

 

Bill picked up a piece of Dipper’s trash and threw it in Dipper’s face.

 

Dipper tore a piece of his taco and threw it at Bill.

 

Bill threw his (Dipper’s) drink at Dipper’s face. The soda exploded, getting all over Dipper and the table.

 

Dipper froze, looking down at himself dumbly, “That escalated quickly…”

 

Bill’s eyes widened, as if he just realized what he had done, and right as he was about to apologize and get napkins, there was loud yelling coming from behind the counter. The two of them whipped their heads around to see that the manager was storming towards them, and they both scrambled up from their seats. They were chased out of Taco Bell by a screaming manager, all the while Bill laughing his ass off and Dipper fretting that the manager was going to actually call the cops.

 

The drive back to Dipper’s apartment was silent until Bill turned on the radio and began “singing” to Carly Rae Jepsen’s “I Really Like You”. Dipper agreed with Carly though, how did he get in this position? He glanced over to the passenger seat where Bill was rocking out, singing one too many “really”s. Dipper couldn’t help but smirk. Bill was a little weird, but it was a fun kind of weird. The guy seemed pretty unpredictable (as obvious by the fact that he ruined Dipper’s suit without a thought, only to look genuinely apologetic afterwards) and probably was one of those “life of the party” people.

 

Suddenly, Dipper’s smirk fell, and he remembered something really important about this guy. This strange, weird guy was the same jerk who up and left his wedding without a second glance. Dipper’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, but he decided to not say anymore about the subject unless Bill initiates it. Right now, all Dipper could think about was a warm bed and sleep.

 

 

**V^**

 

 

“You’ve got a nice place here, old sport!” Bill chirped as he followed Dipper into the apartment. The space was small, albeit suitable for a single resident. Right at the entrance, the kitchen was to the right, and in a couple more steps Bill found himself in the living room. It was simply furnished with a couch, TV, coffee table and a stocked bookshelf. The space wasn’t divided, and only a mere square dining table signified when the kitchen ended and the living room began. Several windows brought in the dim light from outside, casting the room a nice, cozy glow. Bill walked past Dipper and over to the bookshelf, examining what books Dipper had.

 

“So I’m Nick, now?” Bill heard Dipper say from behind him. There was the sound of clothes rustling, but Bill didn’t pay much mind to it.

 

“Well you sure as hell aren’t Gatsby,” Bill retorted, earning an amused grunt from Dipper.

 

“Are you saying that you’re Gatsby then?”

 

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m basically Jay down to a T.”

 

Dipper laughed, “Sure you are.”

 

Bill turned around to defend himself, but stopped dead before he even could say a word. Dipper was beside the dining table, his suit jacket and tie thrown over one of the chairs there, and he was unbuttoning the last button of his stained shirt. Once that button was freed, Bill had a full, frontal view of Dipper’s bare chest, seeing the toned muscle of his stomach, the way his sides curved-

 

“I didn’t realize I signed up for a strip show,” Bill said, looking Dipper up and down.

 

Dipper rolled his eyes, “You didn’t. _Someone_ threw Code Red Mountain Dew on me and ruined my clothes. What you see is the aftermath of said horrible person.”

 

“I said I was sorry didn’t I?”

 

“Actually, you didn’t.”

 

“Oh. Sorry.”

 

Dipper picked up his jacket and tie, “You’re only forgiven if you get me a new suit.” He began to walk down the short hallway that connected the living room, bathroom and single bedroom, but stopped short. Dipper spun on his heel to face Bill. “Also, you’re sleeping on the couch.” Bill gasped, marching right up to Dipper, and he was momentarily surprised to find that the man was slightly taller than him.

 

“Why am I sleeping on the couch?!” Bill cried unhappily, folding his arms across his chest.

 

“My apartment, my rules old man.”

 

Bill glared. “Clearly I am the victim here, therefore you should take the couch and I should take the bed.”

 

Dipper laughed loudly, right in Bill’s face. “Clearly you are not the victim. Don’t touch anything and good night.”

 

And with that, Dipper turned back around, walking off into his bedroom before shutting the door behind him. Bill stared after him with a blank expression on his face. He sighed softly, turning back to eye the couch. It didn’t look too bad to sleep on, but it was no bed for sure. In his head, Bill began to devise a plan.

 

Dipper leaned against the bedroom door after it closed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was not a good idea, definitely not a good idea, and yet for some reason he brought him here, Bill here, a runaway groom whose supposed to be wife was probably crying her eyes out right now. He sighed to himself. He would just have to deal with the man in the morning, right now he was just too tired to even think straight about it. Dipper shed the rest of his clothes, save for his boxers, and put them in a pile in front of his closet. He collapsed on his bed, and within seconds was fast asleep.

 

 

**V^**

 

 

Dipper groaned when he heard his alarm clock go off, the shrill beeping sound echoing off the walls. He did what he normally did, buried himself further into the warmth of his bed and hoped it would stop beeping on it’s own. His bed was especially warm this morning, and Dipper was glad for that. He was having this awful nightmare that some guy had somehow gotten into his car, embarrassed him in a restaurant and for some reason was-

 

“¡Apague el maldito reloj, Will!”*

 

Dipper’s eyes flew open, and he found himself less than six inches away from another man’s face. He screamed, rising up so fast in the already small space that he toppled off the side of the bed, dragging the covers with him to the floor with a thud. On his way down, his leg hit the night stand, knocking off the alarm clock. It too hit the floor, but beeping didn’t stop and only added to Dipper’s growing headache.

 

He groaned from the heap of blankets on the floor, shuffling a little to sit up a tad. Bill sat up from Dipper’s bed, and, from Dipper’s point of view, was shirtless as he stretched his arms up to the ceiling. Dipper groaned again, falling back down to the floor as he hit the ground around him in search of the alarm clock. Once he found it, he slammed his hand on it hard, and the shrill sound finally ended. Dipper let out a sigh of relief, only to go straight into a glare when Bill peered over the side of the bed.

 

“That hardly looks like a comfortable place to sleep, early riser,” he yawned, falling back onto bed.

 

“I wasn’t sleeping here,” Dipper growled as he attempted to safely get up. “And on that subject, why the hell are you in my bed?!”

 

Bill waved a lanky arm at Dipper, “I am vaguely aware of you begging me to come sleep with you.”

 

Dipper was glad Bill couldn’t see him blush at that moment, and he managed to get standing on his two feet. He was about to start yelling, but then he actually looked down at Bill, gasped, and then covered his eyes in a rush.

 

“WHY THE HELL ARE YOU NAKED?”

 

Bill looked down at himself. Sure enough, he has actually naked. “Huh, when did that happen?”

 

Dipper, with his eyes still covered, threw the blankets at where he thought Bill was. He missed by an inch, but Bill grabbed the covers and cuddled into its warmth.

 

“Bill, where are your clothes?!” Dipper asked exasperated.

 

“Probably in the living room,” Bill guessed, opening up one of his eyes and grinning. Dipper still had his eyes covered. “Also, you can look now, I have the blanket covering up my naughty bits,” he lied.

 

Dipper hesitantly lowered his hand and opened his eyes, only to breath in sharply and cover up his eyes again. “Your naughty bits are definitely not covered! I’m going to get your clothes. Just- just stay here.” He turned and walked blindly to the bedroom door. After tripping over his discarded clothes, earning a couple of laughs from Bill, Dipper managed to find the door handle. He uncovered his eyes and hastily swung open the door, escaping the bedroom and Bill. He leaned on the wall, taking in deep breaths, trying but failing to calm down.

 

His gaze went into the living room, and right as he was about to head there, he heard two doors beginning to open, the bedroom door that was behind him and the front door. The front door opened first though, and a familiar female voice called out into the apartment.

 

“Hey Dipper! I’m coming in!”

 

Dipper panicked. _Oh shit oh shit, that’s Mabel, oh shit oh shit, she has a damn key, oh shit_ \- Dipper spun around, pulling open the bedroom door and rushing inside. The bedroom door slammed when the front door slammed too, except instead of seeing his sister, Dipper found himself very close to Bill, who was still very naked.

 

“ _My sister is here!_ ” Dipper whispered harshly, refusing to look anywhere else other than Bill’s face. Bill adopted a confused look, “You’re sister?” Bill went to grab the door handle, closing more of the space between him and Dipper before Dipper stopped him.

 

“Do not go out there!” Dipper rushed, placing a firm hand on Bill’s chest to hold him at bay. “She was at the wedding and she knows you skipped out on it!”

 

Dipper’s mind raced. How was he going to get Bill out of his apartment? Maybe there was a way to get him out without Mabel knowing? Maybe he could just stay in here and hopefully get Mabel out so he can sneak Bill-

 

“Diiiiiiper? Why are there men’s clothes on the ground?” Mabel called from the living room.

 

“ _Shit_ ,” Dipper cursed, shoving Bill backwards further into the bedroom. There was no way he was getting Bill out now. Dipper looked at the door, then back to Bill, “You stay here, got it?”

 

Bill was grinning, but he nodded, and for once Dipper wished that these doors had locks on them. He slipped back outside, closing the door quickly behind him, right as Mabel called his name again. Dipper hesitantly and awkwardly walked into the living room, and was greeted with the sight of Mabel picking up Bill’s clothes.

 

“H-hey Mabes!” Dipper stammered, a little too loud. “W-what are you doing here so early?”

 

Mabel turned around, her eyebrow raised in question. “I told you that I was coming back in the morning, remember?”

 

Dipper mentally slapped himself in the face. How had he forgotten that?! “Right! Right, sorry, I forgot,” he apologized, looking at the clothes wearily.

 

Mabel shrugged, “It’s fine bro-bro, but what’s up with the clothes everywhere?”

 

“Uh, I was just cleaning out my closet!”

 

“But I thought you didn’t have another suit? Let alone this hella fancy one.”

 

“I, uh, forgot that I had it- buried in the back of the closet actually-”

 

“That’s cool, it’s really nice, you probably don’t want to leave it out here though-” Mabel suddenly stopped speaking, her words halting in her throat. Dipper looked at her in confusion, but she was looking at something behind him.

 

“Dipper…”

 

He turned around slowly. There, right in the middle of the hallway, was Bill with a smug look on his face. He still was very much naked, but he had one of the blankets tied loosely around his waist, with his hipbone peaking out dangerously. He looked a lot more disheveled than Dipper remembered, did he-?

 

“You didn’t tell me we were having guests, Dipper!” Bill said, feigning shock and embarrassment. “I would have put on some clothes!”

 

 _Oh my god…_ Dipper thought, looking between a naked Bill and a shocked Mabel.

 

“Are these… your clothes?” Mabel asked slowly, trying to comprehend what she was seeing.

 

“Mabel, this isn’t what it looks-”

 

“They are!” Bill interrupted Dipper, “They were from my wedding the other day!”

 

The room went dead silent.

 

 _I’m so screwed_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “¡Apague el maldito reloj, Will!” - "Turn off the damn clock, Will!"


	3. Of Whoopass and Newspapers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens in this chapter! Plus we get to see a little bit into Bill's crazy self. And also TAD! Thank you all for the lovely comments and kudos as well, they all make me so delighted and happy!! Enjoy reading :)
> 
> \- V
> 
> PS- I'm not the best at Spanish, so please excuse any inaccuracies, I tried my best @.@
> 
> EDIT: A huge thanks to Vic2992 for helping me with the correct translations! You are the bomb.com!

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick._

 

The three of them were sitting at the small dining table. Bill, still covered in blankets, sat opposite of Mabel, who adopted an irritated look on her face. Dipper, still in his boxers, sat between them uncomfortably. They all had been sitting in silence for some time now, Dipper would check to see but he felt like Mabel would snap at him for moving. He glanced up at her face briefly, taking in just how unnaturally stern her expression was. Mabel seldom was ever upset or mad, but whenever she was, Dipper would prefer to not be at the receiving end of it all.

 

_Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick._

 

Dipper switched his gaze to Bill. The man was lounging sideways on the chair, resting his head on the back of the chair. He had a lopsided grin on his face, as if he was amused by this entire situation. The table was just low enough to make visible the blanket that pooled in his lap. Dipper made a mental note to wash his bedsheets when he managed to get Bill out of his apartment.

 

_Tock. Tick. Tock._

 

Dipper turned his gaze to the clock that rested on the wall in the living room, it’s numbers blurry, but it’s sound was deafening. He wished he knew what was going on in their heads right now. He also wished he could just tell Mabel what was going on, but he knew she would want to hear it from Bill himself and not Dipper.

 

_Tick. Tock._

 

“So, Dipper,” Bill spoke aloud, shattering the silence. Dipper’s head shot up so fast that it made his mind swim. He looked at Bill, who still had that grin on his face when he asked, “What’s for breakfast?”  

 

_Tick._

 

“A CAN OF WHOOPASS THAT’S WHAT!” Mabel yelled, startling both Dipper and Bill. Bill nearly fell out of his seat at the sudden outburst, but he had very little time to regain composure as Mabel continued to yell. “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? HOW COULD YOU JUST LEAVE HER THERE AT THE ALTAR YOU SCUMBAG?! I HELD A CRYING GIRL IN MY ARMS ALL NIGHT BECAUSE OF YOU!”

 

Dipper pushed back his chair. “I’m going to go make some coffee,” he said in a rush, trying his best attempt to get out of the room. Bill gave him a look of despair, but Dipper didn’t even manage to get one step away from his chair.

 

“You keep your ass right there Dipper!” Mabel said harshly. “You aren’t in the clear just yet!”

 

Dipper lowered himself slowly back onto the chair, his shoulders tense.

 

Mabel went back to scolding Bill. “You better have a damn good explanation for hurting one of my best friends. If not I swear I will climb over this table and kick your ass!”

 

There was another beat of silence, and all eyes were on Bill. Dipper couldn’t deny that he too wondered the same thing, hell even asked the same thing, but Mabel had a way of getting information out of people that Dipper lacked. Dipper watched Bill sigh loudly, correcting himself in the chair so he sat forward instead of off to the side. All of a sudden, his expression turned serious, the most serious Dipper had seen him.

 

“I’m gay,” Bill said simply.

 

The silence came rushing back when Mabel and Dipper just stared at Bill with wide eyes. The trio sat unmoving for an abnormal amount of time before Mabel tried to form words.

 

“You’re...gay?” she repeated, to which Bill sighed.

 

“Yes,” was the only response he gave her.

 

“Then why were you marrying Ashter?” Dipper butted in, asking the same question Mabel was trying to ask. Bill gave Dipper an unreadable look, the two of them locking eyes for only the briefest of moments. There was a strange sensation that slowly filled Dipper’s chest, a nagging feeling that made him confused, but he chose to ignore it for now.

 

Finally, Bill decided to let himself be vulnerable for the sake of explaining what has been wrong the past months. “I… when I met Ashter, I hadn’t actually come out yet to everyone. I only told the most important people in my life really. The very moment she met me though, she described it like the whole love at first sight thing, which is complete bullshit but that’s besides the point. Anyway, somewhere along the road the road I accidentally ended up in a relationship with her, mostly because I was drunk at the time. Then sort the same thing happened again with the whole engagement thing actually.”

 

Bill groaned to himself, leaning his elbows on the table and covering his face with his hands. “I tried so many times explaining to her that I was gay and I really only liked her as a friend, but every time she either missed the hint or wasn’t paying attention. The next thing I knew I was in the dressing room yesterday with that damn suit on. I wasn’t thinking straight and I- I just-”

 

“So you left through the window,” Dipper said softly, finishing the sentence for Bill.

 

“I left through the window,” Bill repeated, “And hid in your car to wait it out.”

 

Mabel looked between her brother and Bill. She wasn’t expecting this, she wasn’t expecting anything like this, and she certainly wasn’t expecting to actually feel sorry for the runaway groom. She opened her mouth to speak again, but then suddenly her phone began to ring loudly. Mabel fished the phone out of her pocket, looking at it’s screen.

 

“It’s Ashter,” she said, looking up at Bill.

 

“Please don’t tell her you found me!” Bill begged. “I will talk to her I swear, I just need a little time!”

 

Mabel let the phone continue to ring, “Only if you promise to talk to her soon.”

 

Bill nodded, and Mabel finally picked up the phone, raising it up to her ear as she stood up from the table. “Hey Ashter! … What? Oh, yeah … Alright, I’ll see you in a little bit...Okay...Bye.” Mabel hung up with a sigh, shoving the phone back in her pocket.

 

“Don’t make me regret this,” she said sternly to the both of them. And with that, Mabel turned on her heels and headed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Dipper stared after her, only turning back to Bill when he heard the man bump his head on the table. Dipper honestly had no idea what to say to Bill. He watched as Bill sat up again in the chair, leaning back some and making the chair stand on it’s back legs. He was refusing to look at Dipper, but it wasn’t much of a secret why.

 

“So…” Dipper said awkwardly, “Did you… still some breakfast?”

 

“Would you like to meet my brother?” Bill countered, catching Dipper off guard. Bill moved forward in his chair, having it rest on all of it’s legs again, and stared directly at Dipper, waiting for his response.

 

“W-why?” Dipper asked. The question came out of nowhere really, surprising him. Why would Bill possibly ask him to meet his brother?

 

“Because you’re the one that’s my chauffeur at the moment.”

 

Dipper stared at Bill, lost for words. He cracked though, letting out a huff of laughter that he tried to mask as a cough, although unsuccessfully. “I’m not your chauffeur, Bill.”

 

“Sure you are! You have a car don’t you? Drive me!” Bill said, a small smile pulling at his lips. Dipper shook his head, smiling softly, and rose from the table, pushing in his chair. He left Bill at the table, making his way to the bedroom to put on some actual clothes. Bill watched Dipper go, tempted to follow after the young man, but decided against it.

 

“So is that a yes?” Bill called out to him.

 

“Yes, Bill,” Dipper called back.

 

“Can we stop at Taco Bell on the way?”

 

“Bill it’s 9 in the morning!”

 

“So? Didn’t you hear they have a breakfast menu now! ...Also can I borrow some clothes?”

 

 

**V^**

 

 

Dipper pulled into the empty driveway, shutting off the engine and unbuckling as he looked at the house. It was a simple little thing from the outside, with neatly trimmed hedges on the outside and freshly cut grass. A white picket fence encircled the whole cream colored house, and a stone pathway led up to the white front door. Everything about this place screamed the “American Dream” to Dipper, opening the driver side door and stepping outside. Behind him, Bill shut the passenger door, Taco Bell bag in hand (“Bill do not leave trash in my car.” “It’s not trash! It’s treasure, the remains of a delicious meal!” “It’s literally trash and it’s not staying in here.”)

 

“So this is where your younger brother is?” Dipper asked a little doubtfully as Bill came over to stand beside him.

 

“Yup! I don’t know where else he would be.”

 

And with that, Bill was off, opening the side gate and heading straight up to the front door. Dipper followed closely behind him, although deciding to stay on the stone path unlike Bill, who cut through the grass. Once at the front door, Bill rapped three solid knocks on the door. Right after the third knock, the front door swung open. Dipper was surprised to be greeted by none other than the same man he talked to briefly at the wedding.

 

“Tad!” Bill exclaimed happily, stretching out his arms wide.

 

Tad just stared at the two of them, then promptly shut the door in Bill’s face. Dipper choked out surprised laugh. Bill went to knock again, but then Tad opened the door again, this time with a folded up newspaper in his hand.

 

“Tad why do you-” Bill began, only to get a face full of newspaper as Tad hit him in the face with it. Bill stumbled back into Dipper, who caught him as Tad continued to wail on him.

 

“What. The. Hell. Bill!” Tad snarled, each word punctuated with a hit to Bill’s face with the newspaper. Bill rolled out of Dipper’s grasp, dropping the fast food bag as he ran screaming into the yard. Tad followed after him, swatting the newspaper whenever he got close to Bill.

 

“Bill I swear to GOD when I get my hands on you!”

 

“TAD! PUT DOWN THE NEWSPAPER!”

 

“Do you even realize how much of a mess you caused this time?!”

 

“I would if you stopped hitting me!!”

 

“No chance in HELL!”

 

Through Bill’s screaming and Tad’s yelling and attempts to capture Bill, Dipper laughed hard at the ridiculous scene they were causing so much so he had to lean against the house for support. The scene had carried on for two minutes when Tad had finally gotten ahold of Bill, tackling him to ground. Tad used his weight to pin Bill down as best as he could, but Bill put up a good fight, squirming about and thrashing his arms against Tad.

 

“Brother?” came a small voice from beside Dipper, and he looked down to see a young boy peeking out from the front doorway. Bill and Tad looked up simultaneously, and a wide grin spread across Bill’s features. “Will!”

 

Bill scrambled out from underneath Tad, rushing over to his younger brother and scooping him up in his arms. Will squealed happily as Bill spun them about. Dipper stepped back a bit with an amused smile settling on his lips as he watched Bill take Will inside the house. Tad was soon next to him, picking up Bill’s discarded trash. He gave Dipper a soft look, “Did you give him a ride here?”

 

Dipper nodded. “He actually crashed at my place last night.”

 

That made Tad pause, his eyebrows raising.

 

“It’s kind of a long story,” Dipper laughed, scratching his arm.

 

“Well, seeing it as you being Bill’s literal saviour, would you mind coming inside and having some coffee?”

 

Dipper smiled, nodding a yes to Tad, who let him walk inside the house first. Dipper stepped inside, finding that the house was actually quite similar to his apartment, save for the fact that Tad had an actual dining room as well. The living room was neatly furnished with a couch and long table, with a fireplace right in front and a tv perched on the mantle. Dipper found Bill and Will sitting on the couch, speaking to each other happily.

 

* "¿Cómo estás, Will?" 

 

"Bien, gracias." 

 

"Siento no haber ido a recogerte ayer."

 

"Está bien, Tad lo hizo."

 

"¿Le diste las gracias?"

 

"¡Sí!"

 

Dipper was astounded as he stared at the both of them. It was like they were in their own little world. Tad saw the awe on Dipper’s face and smirked, shutting the door behind him. “Bill learned Spanish throughout high school and college,” Tad supplied, “He decided to teach Will everything he knew because he thought it would be important.”

 

“How old is Will?” Dipper asked.

 

“He’ll be nine this coming April.”

 

“Wow,” was all Dipper could say as he followed Tad into the kitchen.

 

“Wow indeed,” Tad said, turning to the coffee pot, “He’s going to be the smartest nine year old I’ve ever seen. Bill calls him a prodigy, but really Will takes after Bill quite a bit.”

 

From the living room, both Bill and Will erupted into laughter from something, and Tad couldn’t help but smile.  Dipper watched the two of them as they bantered back and forth, turning back to Tad when the man handed him a cup of coffee. “Do they speak in Spanish often?” he asked, taking a tentative sip. Tad gazed Will and Bill for a moment, not saying a word at first.

 

 

**"¿Quién es ese hombre?" 

 

"Alguien que conocí hace poco." 

 

"¿Es agradable?" 

 

"Mucho. Me dejó pasar la noche en su casa." 

 

"¿Te gusta?"

 

"...No lo sé." 

 

Tad smirked, “Only when they don’t want people to know what they are saying. Or when they don’t realize that someone else in the room can also understand them.” He turned back to Dipper then. “So tell me, how did you end up with that monster of a man anyway?”

 

Dipper proceeded to tell Tad everything that had happened after he left the venue (although purposely leaving out the fact that he woke up in the same bed as Bill, no one needed to know that). By the time Dipper had ended the tale, Tad was looking just as amused as Bill had been the other day. At some point in the story, Bill and Will had joined them, both choosing to sit on the counter next to the sink. Bill decided to interject at various points of the story, but both Dipper and Tad waved him off.

 

“Sounds like you two had an eventful couple of hours,” Tad said amused.

 

“Eventful doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Bill exasperated dramatically, poking Will playfully on the knee.

 

Will giggled, poking Bill in the arm as he spoke, “But now we have a new friend!”

 

Dipper raised his eyebrows as three sets of eyes landed on him. “M-me?” he asked awkwardly, pointing at himself.

 

“Of course!” Will cheered, hoping down from the counter. Dipper watched as the young boy trotted over to him, stretching out his hand for a friendly shake. “Any friend of Bill’s is a friend of mine!”

 

Dipper gazed over to Bill, momentarily aware of the fact that there was a slight blush creeping along the bridge of his nose, then back down at Will. He crouched down so that they were both eye level with each other and reached out his hand to shake Will’s. The smile on Will’s face grew larger, and suddenly he spun around to face Tad and Bill.

 

“Can we all go to the zoo tomorrow? With my new friend?” he asked.

 

“The zoo?” Bill repeated, his eyes finding Dipper’s briefly before looking back at his brother. The gears were turning in Bill’s head, it wasn’t everyday when his brother was so excited about meeting other people. “Only if Dipper isn’t busy.”

 

Dipper stood up slowly, “I’m free tomorrow actually.”

 

Will clapped his hands together, “Great!”

 

Dipper hung around for a little bit more after that, sitting in the living room with Will as the boy asked him hundreds of questions. Bill and Tad hung back in the kitchen, watching the two of them talk and play. “Do you think Will is planning something?” Bill asked suddenly.

 

“Why would you think that?” Tad questioned with a raised eyebrow.

 

“I don’t know...he just doesn’t usually take to new people this well. I was kind of worried about bringing Dipper over.”

 

“Why did you bring Dipper over?”

 

“Because he had a car and I needed a ride.”

 

“Then why were you worried about bringing him?”

  
Bill said nothing to that, mostly because he had nothing to say. Mostly. Tad let the question die, but he had a feeling he knew what Will was planning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *"¿Cómo estás, Will?" - "How are you, Will?"
> 
> "Bien, gracias." - "Good thank you"
> 
> "Siento no haber ido a recogerte ayer. " - "Sorry I didn't come and get you yesterday."
> 
> "Está bien, Tad lo hizo. " - "It's okay, Tad came and got me"
> 
> " ¿Le diste las gracias?" - "Did you thank him?"
> 
> "¡Sí!" - "Yes!"
> 
>  
> 
> **"¿Quién es ese hombre?" - "Who is that man?"
> 
> "Alguien que conocí hace poco." - "Someone I recently met."
> 
> "¿Es agradable?" - "Is he nice?"
> 
> "Mucho. Me dejó pasar la noche en su casa." - "Very. He let me spend the night at his house."
> 
> "¿Te gusta?" - "Do you like him?
> 
> "...No lo sé." - "...I don't know."


	4. Do You Come Here Often?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh! Another chapter! :D Thank you all for the comments and kudos, they brighten my day like you wouldn't believe! I would have gotten this chapter out sooner, but I somehow found myself in a perpetual spiral of Whose Line Is It Anyway videos...
> 
> Also, the wonderful StarryIllusions had told me that there's fanart for Runaway Groom by kinochi-art!! Please check it out, it's so awesome and I literally squealed for probably ten minutes straight (I never thought about anyone making fanart for one of my stories honestly and now the thought makes me giddy). 
> 
> http://kinochi-art.tumblr.com/post/137617727969/you-guys-need-to-read-runaway-groom-by-vivion-its
> 
> If any of y'all ever make fanart, holy crap thank you for one and also let me know!! I'd love to see it! :D
> 
> And, of course, enjoy reading!
> 
> -V

By the time Dipper reached his apartment, it was already half past twelve. Will had begged for him to stay for lunch, but Dipper decided against it, not wanting to intrude any longer at Tad’s home. He sighed, resting his forehead on the steering wheel. His head was spinning, too many conflicting thoughts were taking up space. The entirety of the situation he found himself in came back on the drive home, and at one point Dipper was so lost in thought that another driver had to honk at him to go when the light had been green for ten seconds.

 

Bill had left his own wedding the other day. And the last time Dipper saw Ashter, she was absolute wreck.

 

And here Dipper was, entertaining Bill like nothing had happened. And the fact that Will had made Dipper promise to come to the zoo tomorrow before he left didn’t help the matter.

 

Dipper groaned loudly, banging his head on the steering wheel with a loud thud.

 

Just what exactly was he doing right now? He got so caught up, caught up in the hurricane that was Bill Cipher, that Dipper had forgot what the man wrongfully done. Dipper knew he shouldn’t be doing this, he knew that he should be on Ashter’s side and should not be “fraternizing with the enemy” but…

 

Dipper banged his head on the steering wheel again.

 

 _No ‘but’s, Dipper_ he chastised himself. _You need to stay as far away from Bill as possible. You can’t get caught up in this mess. Bill was the one that brought this upon himself-_ Dipper’s mind wandered back to what Bill had said this morning. Was Bill telling the truth then? Or was he trying to sneak his way out somehow? The man had seemed genuine enough but so far Bill hasn’t actually given him any reason to be trustworthy, and that’s what kept making Dipper’s head spin.

 

_Should I trust him?_

 

_Do I want to?_

 

_Or do I want myself to want that?_

 

_Why the hell do I want to trust him?_

 

Suddenly there was a rapt on the driver’s window so loud that it made Dipper flinch hard, hitting his head on the car horn. It blared briefly, and Dipper startled backwards, sitting now straight in the driver’s seat, his heart beating fast. He whipped his head around to see Mabel glaring at him through the window, and Dipper flinched back again at her expression. _Shit_.

 

She gestured towards the lock on the door, indicating for Dipper to unlock the car for her. He reluctantly did, and Mabel made her way around the car, opening the passenger door and climbing inside. “Where have you been?” she asked without hesitation, an edgy look in her eyes. _Lie lie lie lie_. Dipper knew that he couldn’t lie to Mabel though, it was pointless. She knew when he was lying, she always knew.

 

“I… I took Bill to go see his brother…” Dipper said in a small voice.

 

Dipper sucked in his breath and closed his eyes, waiting for the hit from Mabel that never came. He stayed that way for a moment, then opened one of his eyes to peek at Mabel. She still looked upset, but not as much as she had before.

 

“I talked to him before Tad took him to his place,” she said, her eyes looking at the dash.

 

“To Will?” Dipper asked, and Mabel nodded.

 

“I asked him where he thought Bill might have gone. He didn’t know, unsurprisingly, but you know what he did say?”

 

Dipper said nothing, merely looking at his sister as she continued.

 

“He asked me if marriages were based on love. I told him yes and… and then he told me that was probably why Bill left. Said that he knew Bill didn’t love her like that.”

 

Dipper’s breathing slowed as the information sunk in.   _Should I trust him?_

 

“I didn’t believe him at the time though, I mean, he’s a little kid,“ Mabel sighed, covering her face with her hands. “But then Bill said all that stuff earlier and I just… I was going to say something and then Ashter called and she wanted me to come over and- and now I don’t know what to think.”

 

_Do I want to?_

 

The twins sat in silent, absorbed by their own thoughts. What should he do now?

 

_Or do I want myself to want that?_

 

“How is Ashter?” Dipper asked cautiously.

 

“She’s… calmed down some, but she’s still not over it.”

 

“It’d be kind of hard to just get over something like that.”

 

“That’s why I don’t know what to do, Dip.”

 

“Maybe…” he began nervously, “Maybe we shouldn’t do anything?”

 

Mabel’s eyebrows pinched together, confused at the phrasing of his words, “What do you mean?”

 

“I mean- Maybe we should just kind of stay out of it all?” _Hypocrite_ . _You’re going to see him tomorrow._ “Or, I mean, stay out of the whole marriage drama part of it.”

 

Mabel raised an eyebrow. “So you’re suggesting to ignore it?”

 

“No! No, I’m not saying that at all, I’m saying maybe we should just let Bill and Ashter figure this out on their own.”

 

Another beat of silence fell between them before Dipper stuck out his hand. Mabel looked down at the appendage with a confused look on her face. “Let’s make a deal,” Dipper suggested, “To not interfere anymore and let them work it through at their own pace.”  Mabel looked back up at Dipper, than his hand again.

 

“And what’ll happen if we do interfere?” she asked, not fully convinced yet.

 

“Then...okay, if one of us interferes, then the person gets to…do whatever they want to the person that interfered. Just a one time thing though. How does that sound?”

 

Mabel gave Dipper a look, but slowly she reached out her hand and shook Dipper’s hand. “Deal.”

 

_Why the hell do I want to trust him?_

  


**V^**

  


The next morning, Dipper found himself driving to Tad’s house for the second time. His fingers tapped on the steering wheel nervously as he pulled into the empty driveway. _Wait...why am I nervous?_ He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He put the car in park and sat there for a moment.

 

_You have no real real reason to be nervous. You are fine, you are going to be fine. Today will be fun, just wait and see._

 

Dipper itched his arm under the tight sleeve. _Maybe I should have worn a jacket over this_ he thought, glancing down at himself. The t-shirt he was currently wearing was a couple years old now, and the material was thin and tight enough that people could make out the abs on his stomach. Dipper sighed to himself. He would have worn a different shirt, but he remembered that he had given Bill his last clean one, and there was no way he was going to wear a dress shirt on a warm day like this.

 

Dipper then reminded himself that he was just sitting in car like a weirdo, and promptly got out not a moment later. He made his way up to the front door and knocked a couple of times, taking a step back as it swung open almost immediately. This time it was Bill who answered the door.

 

“Back so soon, old sport?” Bill greeted him, leaning in the doorway some.

 

Dipper rolled his eyes. “Good to see you too, Gatsby,”

 

Bill laughed, stepping back a bit to let Dipper inside. As Dipper walked past, he missed the way Bill’s eyes traveled down his shirt, taking in the way his abs moved underneath the material. Suddenly, Bill remembered when Dipper had flashed him his chest and stomach the other day when he was changing, and he felt a weird sensation clawing in his stomach. He stood there, lost in a daze, only to be brought out of it when Tad emerged in front of him and waved a hand in his face.

 

“You alright there, Bill?” Tad asked with an amused look on his face.

 

Bill snapped to attention, finally shutting the front door. “Yup! I’m all good,” he said quickly.

 

The moment Dipper stepping into the living room, he was met with a sudden hug from tiny arms. He grinned, bending low to give Will a proper hug.  “Hey Will,” Dipper said happily, releasing the young boy. Will was excited to see Dipper, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he spoke, “Hi Dipper! You ready to go to the zoo?”

 

Dipper chuckled, “Of course!” He peered down at Will’s clothes, finding the boy to wearing a bright orange shirt and khaki shorts. “That’s a bright shirt you’re wearing, it’ll be hard to miss you in a crowd.” Will grinned broadly, “That’s the point! Bill and Tad are wearing the same shirt too!”

 

Dipper spun around to look and their clothing. He caught the two of them near the front door, whispering to each other, and when Dipper spotted them they stopped suddenly, as if afraid of him hearing what they were saying. Sure enough, the both of them were wearing matching, bright orange shirts. Dipper turned back to Will, “Do I have one too?”

 

Dipper watched as Will ran off down the hallway, and after a minute came running back with a bright orange shirt in his little hands. Will shoved the shirt into Dipper’s hands expectantly. He unfolded the shirt, finding it to be fairly big, but he didn’t mind much. Anything would be better than the shirt he was wearing now.

 

“You can change in my room, Dipper,” Tad said from across the living room. “Whenever we three go out in crowded places, we wear easy to spot colors in case Bill or Will gets lost.”

 

“What do you mean in case I get lost?” Bill scoffed, crossing his arms. “I never get lost.”

 

Tad smiled, “Would you like to tell Dipper about the time you got separated from us at a Walmart and you screamed our names over the intercoms? Or the time when you took the wrong hiking trail and we found you three hours later face down in the mud? Or when you got lost in the mall and broke into the security room to look at their cameras to find us? Or-”

 

“Alright, alright, I think he gets the point,” Bill grumbled, cutting Tad off. Dipper was doing his best not to laugh, but he couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him and Will was giggling too. Tad, looking beyond amused at Bill’s irritation, turned back to Dipper, “We’ll head out when you’re done changing.”

 

Dipper nodded, heading off down the hallway. He passed the bathroom and a closed door. _Probably a guest room_ he thought, heading down further to the other doorway. He opened the door and stepped inside. The room was simple and tidy, a cozy bed pressed against the wall and a long dresser along the opposite wall. Two windows brought in the natural light from outside, one partially above the bed and the other right beside it.

 

Dipper walked the short distance to the dresser and set the orange shirt down. He grabbed the hem of his own shirt and pulled upwards as straight as he could. It seemed like the shirt had somehow gotten tighter, and as Dipper went to pull it now over his head and arms, the fabric got caught on something. Within a matter of seconds, Dipper found himself trapped in the tight shirt, unable to get out of it on his own. _Are you kidding me with this…?_

 

Dipper tugged and tugged several more times, his attempts proving be be futile though when he could only get the shirt halfway off. With a huff, he let his arms fall as low as the shirt would allow him to. It only seemed to make things worse though, the shirt bunched up even more and Dipper heard the shirt beginning to rip. He groaned, and right as he was about to try and shimmy the shirt back on, he heard the bedroom door open.

 

“I’m just grabbing my sun-”

 

Dipper spun on his heels, making eye contact with Bill, who only took one step into the room before he stopped. The two stared at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time, and Dipper could feel the blood rushing to his face in embarrassment.

 

Bill looked at the scene before him without a single coherent thought in mind. Dipper, standing in the middle of the room, with his arms tangled in his shirt and his eyes peeking out from strained fabric. His eyes trailed downwards on Dipper’s body, seeing how the man’s muscles were taut and clenched. Bill quickly looked back at Dipper’s head, fearful that he might actually start drooling if he stared at his body for too long, and asked, “Do you… need some help there…?”

 

Dipper’s blush deepened, “Uh… yes?”

 

Bill walked over to Dipper, careful not to look anywhere other than the offending shirt. Dipper bent over a tad, and Bill hooked his fingers under where the shirt bunched up. Bill counted off from one, and at three he pulled the shirt hard as Dipper did his best to get it over his head and arms. With one final tug, the shirt actually ripped at the sides, but they managed to get it off Dipper’s body. Bill stumbled backwards a little, holding the ripped shirt in his hands. Dipper took a second to catch his breath, but when he looked back up at Bill, his heart raced faster for some reason.

 

“T-thanks…” Dipper said awkwardly, to which Bill only nodded. Dipper turned back to the dresser, grabbing the orange shirt quickly and pulling it on. He startled though when Bill walked up beside him, pulling open one of the dresser drawers and pulling out a pair of sunglasses. The two didn’t say a single word to each other as they walked back out into the living room. Tad, who was ushering Will out of the front door, gave them a curious look and a cocky smile. Dipper only blushed harder, and Bill promptly flipped Tad off when Will wasn’t looking.

  


**V^**

  


“C’mon! We gotta see the lions!” Will happily cheered, tugging at Dipper’s arm. Dipper laughed, and the two of them charged ahead as Tad and a sulking Bill lagged behind. The entire car ride there, Dipper and Will talked about animals at the zoo.

 

“Do you like animals?” Will had asked Dipper from the backseat next to Bill.

 

Dipper glanced at Will through the rear view mirror, “I do! They’re very interesting.”

 

“Do you like lions?”

 

Dipper hummed a yes, “Did you know that lions are the second largest big cat in the world?”

 

Will chuckled, “Of course, tigers are the first! What else do you know about lions?”

 

“Well, in the wild, lions sleep for about 20 hours a day.”

 

Tad chuckled in the passenger seat, “Sounds like you, Bill.”

 

Bill reached forward and smacked Tad on the back of his head.

 

“Do you know anything about sharks?” Will asked curiously, leaning forward against the confines of his seat belt.

 

Dipper nodded, “Sharks don’t have a single bone in their body. They have a type of skeleton that is made up of cartilage, which is what makes up your ears and nose. Sharks also have amazing hearing and can hear up to 500 metres away. There are also some sharks that have to continuously swim forward because they get oxygen from the water that moves over their gills.”

 

Will squealed excitedly, “I didn’t know you were an animal expert!”

 

Dipper laughed, “I’m not, but when I was younger I liked to learn about a lot of different things, including animals.”

 

Will smiled, and the conversation continued back and forth between the two of them. Tad had found the whole exchange cute, but Bill on the other hand…

 

Tad jabbed Bill in the ribs lightly as they passed by people and their families, “What’s the matter with you?”

 

“Nothing,” Bill said curtly, folding his arms. “Nothing is wrong.”

 

“Oh my god, you’re not jealous of Dipper right now are you?”

 

That must have struck a nerve in Bill, who tensed up, only to continue sulking. Tad smirked playfully, “Can’t stand seeing Will admiring someone else other than his big bro?” Bill waved him off, picking up his pace in order to catch up to Dipper and Will. Tad did the same as well, all the while endlessly teasing Bill. They found the pair right outside the lion’s exhibit, leaning against the railing. The exhibit wasn’t very big, but it was impressive as five full grown lions and lionesses bathed in the sunlight from below on rocks or the grass. Bill came to stand next to Dipper, who was talking animatedly with Will, and Tad stood on Will’s other side. Bill stood there staring at the lions, his brain working on ways he could somehow get his brother back on his side. What could he do to impress Will? There wasn’t much really, save for Dipper somehow impressing the hell out of him.

 

“I wish I could pet a lion,” Will said wistfully, standing on his tiptoes to see the lions better.

 

“I’m personally good with seeing them from afar,” Dipper said honestly. “Lions can get really aggressive.”

 

Bill suddenly had a crazy and impulsive thought. He gripped the high railing tight. “Hey Will-”

 

Will and Tad looked at Bill, with Dipper being too focused on the lions to really turn. One of them was waking up…

 

“Watch this!”

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Dipper saw a flash of skin and bright clothing. He heard Tad yell and Will gasp, and Dipper turned to see what had happened, only to have his knees go weak. Bill had climbed over the protective railing, and in one fell swoop he let go, falling down into the lion’s pen. Reflexively, Dipper reached out and grabbed Bill’s sleeve, and suddenly he felt his world turn upside down as he toppled over the railing after Bill. They crashed into the grass below, falling on top of one another in a mess of limbs. Dipper’s head swam, and from above he heard people screaming and crying out.

 

Beneath him, Bill stirred, and Dipper found the strength to roll off the man and rise. He looked up, seeing the crowd of people that had accumulated along the protective railing. They were still yelling and pointing, and Dipper followed their line of sight, freezing when eyes his found what they were seeing. Bill groaned, slowly sitting up from where he lay on the grass. He shook the blond hair from his eyes and glanced up at Dipper. He was hunched down awkwardly, leaning over Bill somewhat protectively. “Whatcha doin-” he began to ask, only to get shushed. Dipper was staring at something behind him, and Bill turned to see just what.

 

About 10 feet away from them was one of the lions, bent on his legs and looking directly at them. “Bill, do not make any sudden movements,” Dipper warned seriously in a low tone, as if the lion couldn’t hear them. The beast roared loudly, the sound shaking their bones. Bill rose up slowly to stand next to Dipper.

 

“Do you come here often?” Bill breathed out, a shaky laugh falling from his lips.

 

“What?! I was trying to save your ass!” Dipper bit out, his eyes not moving away from the lion. “What the hell were you thinking?!”

 

“I was just trying to impress Will!”

 

Dipper’s jaw dropped, and he turned to him angrily, “You were what?!”

 

The lion roared again, and they both flinched back. The lion’s roaring had woken up some of the other lions, prowling behind the roaring one. Dipper could feel his blood run cold at the sight.

 

“Bill I swear if these lions don’t kill you I will.”

 

“I don’t doubt that for a second.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Dun dun dun* Cliff hangerrrr
> 
> Also all these animal facts are indeed factual (I swear I'm not pulling these out of my ass): http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals.html


	5. Pickup Lines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! Long time no see! I apologize for the lack of updates these past couple weeks, I've been dealing with a lot of personal stuff and school and what not, and it's hectic as hell. My hope is that everything will be calmed down by March? So until then, updates will be kind of sparse and far apart. I won't really have much time to reply to comments when I see them too, but thank you to all those who left comments <3 You all are lovely folks and are hella awesome! 
> 
> As for this chapter, it's kinda short, as I don't actually have much time to really write and flesh things out, and I also wrote this really early in the morning, so apologies if it's kinda weird in places. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are much appreciated, and, of course, enjoy reading! 
> 
> -V

“I’ve never been to jail before… Well, actually I have. Turns out starting your modelling career by posing as a mannequin in Chanel really freaks people out. It sort of worked though, I had one hell of a mugshot. But this jail definitely did not look like that jail, that’s for sure.”

 

“...Bill, please, I’m trying to think here.”

 

“Oh I’m sorry, would you like me to leave? Oh wait, I can’t because we’re both chained up! I somehow knew we would end up together, although this is a little more kinkier than I imagined.”

 

“I swear to God Bill I will throw you back into that lion’s den if you don’t shut up.”

 

Bill laughed wildly, and Dipper couldn’t help but groan loudly, fully annoyed by the situation they were currently in. Right as Dipper was sure the lions were going to eat them alive, several of the zoo keepers had burst into the den and fortunately were successful in calling off the lions. Unfortunately however, said zoo keepers had manhandled the both of them into the “Zoo Jail”. It was a single room that had a lone table in it and several chairs. They were chained to each other and to the table so that they couldn’t get far even if they tried. Bill did have a point though, the Zoo Jail looked nothing like the jails Dipper has ever seen (in photos and shows and movies of course). It was… adorable, to say the least. The room was painted from floor to ceiling with various zoo animals. The animals had on black and white striped jumpsuits, similar to the ones inmates had to wear, and they all had sad and teary faces. The moment they stepped into the room, Bill couldn’t keep his composure, laughing for two minutes straight, much to Dipper’s annoyance.

 

“Oh come on, Superman,” Bill chided, leaning back in his metal chair casually, propping his feet on the table. “It ain’t that bad really. What’s the worst they can do to us? Actually throw us in jail?”

 

“Yes!” Dipper grumbled, rubbing his face with his hands. “Also, Superman? Really? Why?”

 

Bill shrugged. “You tried to save me from falling in, hence you are now Superman. Also you have the same physique as him too.”

 

“I do not,” Dipper said, rolling eyes, but he couldn’t help the red tint showing on his cheeks. “And I’m not Superman.”

 

“You’re right! You’re not Superman, Batman, or Iron Man, but you are my man,” Bill winked.

 

Dipper stared at Bill with a deadpanned expression. “I cannot believe you’re using pick up lines at a time like this.”

 

Bill leered. “Baby if you were time you’d be an eternity.”

 

“Bill, you are actually the worst.”

 

“And you’re the best that I’ll ever have.”

 

“I cannot with you right now.”

 

“Do you have a band-aid? Because I think I scraped my knee falling for you.”

 

“Bill, no.”

 

“Did you have Campbell’s soup today? Because you’re looking mmm mmm good!”

 

“I don’t even like soup, Bill.”

 

Right as Bill was about to pull out another pick up line, the only door into the room burst open, startling the both of them. In strolled two men with gusto, one tall, pale, lanky, with his pants pulled up impossibly to his chest, and one short, stout, dark, shades covering his eyes, with a crazy mustache. There was a split moment of silence between the four of them, all staring down each other, all serious, and then, suddenly, Bill broke the spell.

 

“Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland?” he asked, disbelieving.

 

“Bill Cipher?” said the taller one, Durland, with a slight southern twang.

 

Bill smiled, “The one and only!”

 

“Boy what are you doing in Zoo Jail?” the shorter one, Blubs, asked, amusement poorly hidden under his seriousness. He and Deputy Durland walked over to the other side of the table and sat down on the metal chairs. Dipper just stared at the duo, trying to figure out just how they all knew each other, but knowing Bill, the possibilities were endless.

 

“Got myself and my buddy here in a little mishap,” Bill laughed. “I accidentally fell into the lion’s den and he tried to save my ass.”

 

Deputy Durland gasped, horrified, and turned to Dipper, “Y’all weren’t hurt were ya?!”

 

“N-no,” Dipper answered awkwardly. “We’re fine save for some bumps and bruises.”

 

“Well that’s good!” Sheriff Blubs said with relief, “We would have had to call the ambulance otherwise.”

 

 _They didn’t call the ambulance first thing?_ Dipper thought with disbelief. _What the hell?_

 

“So,” Bill started, moving his feet off the table, “Any charges going to be placed today officers?” Dipper could have sworn there was a hint of a challenge in Bill’s voice, and there was a weird shift in the room that he couldn’t quite place. The three of them seemed to tense up, and neither the Deputy or Sheriff seemed to be inclined to back down.

 

“Nope!” Sheriff Blubs assured them, “Nothing wrong happened here if it was just an _accident_.”

 

“Right!” Deputy Durland piped up, “ _Accidents_ happen all the time, no need for charges here.”

 

“Of course,” Bill smiled again, “ _Accidents_.”

 

The whole exchange had Dipper’s head spinning,  but no other words were exchanged after that. Deputy Durland and Sheriff Blubs both got up at the same time and made their way out of the room. Bill and Dipper watched them go, and when the door closed shut, Dipper turned to Bill.

 

“What the hell was that all about?”

 

Bill smirked, “Don’t worry about it, we’ll be out of here in no time, trust me.”

 

And sure enough, within the next ten minutes, two zoo employees came into the room and took off their shackles, telling them that they were free to go (although they were banned from the zoo for the time being, and Dipper couldn’t shake the feeling that they were going to come back to the zoo again soon). They were escorted out and led back to the zoo by the employees. It was an awkward experience with Bill whistling the entire way, but Dipper was just glad that those sad zoo animals weren’t looking at them anymore. Same goes for the lions.

 

“Dipper, my friend,” Bill began with a smile, “I have come to a solid conclusion.”

 

“That you’re insane?”

 

“No, I knew that a long time ago, on my 13th birthday to be exact. But, I’ve come to the conclusion that you are a man of intellect, correct?”

 

Dipper eyed Bill wearily, curious as to why specifically his 13th birthday, “I guess you could say that?”

 

“Then, I must break out my intellectual pick up lines to woo you!”

 

“Bill, you can’t be serious about this right now,” Dipper groaned, a smile creeping onto his face. “I thought you were done with the pick up lines.”

 

“Are you a 90 degree angle?” Bill questioned, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, “Because you are looking right.”

 

Dipper gave Bill a look, but said nothing.

 

Bill tried again, “You must be the square root of two because I feel irrational around you.”

 

The entire trip back continued just like that, Bill pulling out all of his best nerdy pick up lines and Dipper either snorting or chuckling at them all. It was a great distraction to say the least, but when they passed the lion’s den on the way, it just reminded Dipper of how absurd Bill could be, and Dipper had only known the man for a couple days.

 

“I can’t believe you did all that just to impress Will,” Dipper said in a hushed tone so the employees didn’t overhear. “That was probably the second stupidest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

 

Bill snorted, “What’s the first?”

 

“You ditching your wedding.”

 

“Ouch.”

 

“Had to be said.”

 

“I’ve got an image up uphold you know? With him at least, everyone else not so much, and especially not Tad. It was being threatened by some guy whose name starts with Dip and ends with -per.”

 

“What? I was not threatening your image!”

 

“Yeah you were, trust me, Will doesn’t attach himself so quickly to just anybody.”

 

Dipper took a moment to mull that thought over in his head. Come to think it, he did remember how awkward and shy Will was at the wedding. “Why do you think Will likes me so much?” Dipper asked innocently. It was odd to think that Will had gotten so attached to him in such a small amount of time.

 

Bill shrugged, “Beats me. Maybe he thinks you’ll be sticking around for a while.”

 

Dipper’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, “How come?”

 

“Probably ‘cause he thinks I like you or something.”

 

And with that, Bill’s mind froze, his words catching him off guard. And, unknowingly to him, Dipper‘s mind did the same.

 

_“Probably ‘cause he thinks I like you or something.”_

 

Bill coughed awkwardly, not entirely sure what to say next. Luckily he didn’t have to say anything, because suddenly their names were being called out by a familiar voice. They both looked up to see Will running towards them with tears in his eyes, and Tad, who was trailing a bit behind Will. Bill knelt to the ground to greet Will, and received a tight hug from the young boy. The four of them were reunited, and then promptly escorted out of the zoo together.

 

The drive back to Tad’s home was a quiet one. Every so often, Dipper would peak in the rear view mirror to look at Bill and Will. Will apparently had cried himself into a fit when he and Bill were taken away, and Tad did his best to calm the boy down, but to no avail. In the back, Will was resting in Bill’s lap, his head tucked comfortably under Bill’s chin and Bill with his arms wrapped protectively around Will. Dipper felt an odd pang in his heart whenever he looked back there. It was evident that Bill deeply cared about Will, to the point where he would be willing to throw himself in harm’s way just to impress the boy. It was endearing, the closeness they seemed to share. It reminded Dipper a lot of his relationship with Mabel, especially when they were younger.  Dipper chanced one last glance at the two, but when he looked at Bill, he found that the man was staring directly at him. Dipper blushed, feeling like he was interrupting or invasive, and promptly kept his eyes on the road the rest of the way. Of course, he missed the countless times Bill also snuck glances at him too.

 

 

**V^**

 

 

“Bill! Bill, come look at this!”

 

“What?”

 

“Look!”

 

“Why are we whispering?”

 

_thwap!_

 

“Jesus, alright! Stop hitting me with that newspaper!”

 

“Look would you!”

 

Tad and Bill were huddled behind the kitchen table, looking out into the living space. Their heads peaked just enough over the table to see over to the couch, where a magical scene was unfolding right before their eyes. Dipper had decided to stay over for a while longer, and the last time Bill had checked he was playing with Will in the living room. Now however, Dipper had fallen asleep on the couch, and Will was cuddled up against the sleeping man’s side. Dipper had one of his arms draped lazily over Will’s shoulder while Will had one of his legs over Dipper’s.

 

Bill had never seen a sight more precious than this, and he deeply wished he had his phone on him right now. “How long have they been asleep like that?”

 

“I’m not sure, I just now noticed that they clocked out.”

 

Smiling, Bill slowly got up from behind the table and crept his way over to the couch. He knelt in front of the sleeping pair, watching them closely. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t envious, but at this point he couldn't tell if it was because of Dipper or Will. He sighed lowly, reaching out his hand to brush back wild strands of hair from his brother’s face.

 

“You must really like Dipper a lot, huh,” he said aloud softly, although to himself more than anything.

 

He moved his hand back then, and his eyes found Dipper’s sleeping face. He looked so peaceful and calm like this, just like the first time he saw Dipper fast asleep. He chuckled lightly, remembering how he carelessly shucked his clothing and snuck into Dipper’s bed to sleep. He had intended to scare Dipper, of course, for trying to make him sleep on that dreadful couch, and then his sister showed up and made things more interesting. And somehow, through all of that nonsense and craziness, Dipper had somehow wedged his way into Bill’s life, even if it was just a little bit.

 

Bill stayed there, looking at Dipper, thinking strange and new thoughts about his strange and new friend. Bill still was hesitant though, believe it or not. In truth, he’s always been hesitant about things, but over the course of the years he’s let his impulses that the lead for a majority of the time.

 

However, it was quiet moments like these, seeing his brother in the care of someone new, someone important and possibly valuable, that made his hesitance seep back into his skin and make him anxious about the unknowns.

 

“You must be something really special to make me feel like I’m losing myself all over again,” Bill whispered, running his hand through his own hair. “I swear I wasn’t always this crazy.”

 

He stayed there for a moment longer, then finally stood back up. In a split second, Bill found himself reaching towards Dipper, about to push back the hair from his face, but he caught himself, reeling his hand back in before he did something he might regret. He sighed again, and after another beat he made his way back over to Tad.

 

Bill missed his brother opening up one of his eyes to look at him, missed that calculating look in his eye that he had inherited. Will closed his eye then, trying to figure out how to make Operation Bill-and-Dipper-together a go without Bill or Dipper knowing. He couldn’t help smirking the entire time.  


	6. What is Normal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY THAT GRAVITY FALLS FINALE THOUGH AMIRITE?! ;A; 
> 
> But anywho, 'ello everyone! Just gonna leave this little chap here. Not much happens per say, but I still like it! It's exposition! Thank you for the lovely comments as well <3
> 
> Enjoy reading, friends!
> 
> -V

 

 

_2 Weeks Later…_

  


“Then I said, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch where you’re grabbing!’ And that’s the last time I ever took her to Frisky Fridays down at the bar.”

 

“Why you ever thought that bringing your grandmother to Frisky Fridays was a good idea in the first place is beyond me.”

 

“She wanted to have a good birthday party!”

 

“Bill she is 96 years old.”

 

“And she still knows how to get down with her bad self!”

 

“Please don’t ever say that again. I’m going to have nightmares alone just thinking about how she tried to dance on the stage.”

 

“Lady’s got killer moves in her old age! You should be envious Tad, you don’t even know how to twerk.”

 

“Yeah, and I also don’t want to know how to twerk either.”

 

Bill huffed, but his smile stayed in place. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the sun was shining high and the weather was nice and warm. Will, wanting to take advantage of this great weather, had managed to urge Bill and Tad into going to downtown and the park later. Said little man was walking between Bill and Tad, holding their hands with his own cheerful smile on his face. The trio were sporting bright green shirts this time around, since Bill still hadn’t gotten around to cleaning his dirt ridden orange one.

 

“I think Tad would be great at twerking,” Will piped up, swinging his clasped hands back and forth.

 

“I think so too,” Bill agreed, “But he doesn’t believe a word I say anymore.”

 

Tad rolled his eyes, “And for good reason too.”

 

Tad and Bill continued to bicker halfheartedly, and Will took his chance to look about. The streets and side shops were packed with different people, all of them smiling and enjoying themselves. It was a sight he generally wouldn’t see very much, having to go to school all day and only being able to see his classmates and teacher. It was a pleasant change of pace too, the slow and boring school days for the hustle and bustle of weekend explorers was something Will would take any day.

 

As they passed a local coffee shop, Will offhandedly looked inside through the large glass window. It had only a couple people sitting down inside, but it coffee shop had a cozy look to it, with large, plush chairs and couches with coffee tables placed along the walls. More towards the center of the shop were chairs and little tables, and right at the back was the register and coffee machines and employees. One employee was a tall girl with long red hair wearing a lumberjack hat, and she was leaning on the counter, talking to another employee…

 

Will’s eyes widened, and before they completely passed the coffee shop he let go of Tad and Bill’s hands, running inside. Tad and Bill stopped abruptly, both whirling around just in time to see Will disappear into the coffee shop. Bill was the quickest to react, running right after Will and calling for him to wait. Tad sighed, following Bill into the shop as well. Right as he opened the door however, he ran into Bill’s back.

 

“What the hell?” he asked, steadying himself before peering over Bill’s shoulder. Across the large room, he found Will, on his tip toes, leaning over the cash register counter, talking to two of the baristas. Will pointed to him and Bill, and they both looked up simultaneously. Tad quickly recognized one of them to be none other than Dipper Pines. What peaked his curiosity though was the red headed girl with her arm slugged around his shoulders. She kind of looked like Ashter actually… Tad nudged Bill for him to move, causing the man to stumble a bit before finally collecting himself. Tad gave him a look, “You alright there, buddy?”

 

Bill gulped, “Yup. Totally fine.”

 

“Good, because we are blocking the entrance.” And with that, Tad brushed past Bill with a knowing smirk and quickly made his way over to Will, Dipper, and the red headed girl. Bill stood awkwardly, watching Tad walk away and join Will’s animated conversation with that girl and… Dipper. The same man he hadn’t seen in what seems to be forever. A forever that really only lasted 2 weeks.

 

Which was 14 days.

 

Which was 336 hours.

 

Which was 20,160 minutes.

 

Which was 1,209,600 seconds.

 

1,209,600 seconds was a lot of time to think, and Bill thought a lot. He thought about what he was going to cook for dinner, what to wear in the morning, how to annoy Tad, when he had to go pick up Will. But recently, something, some _one_ has invaded his thoughts, refusing to leave him alone.

 

20,160 minutes was enough time for Bill to realize just how much he liked Dipper, which in his book is a personal record since he had really only known Dipper for two days. There was just something about the young man that drew him in, made him want to know more.

 

336 hours made Bill want to know more about the mysterious Dipper, more about himself, his personality, his routine. Bill wanted to know more than he saw, more than he remembered. He wanted to know Dipper's goal in life, his beliefs and dreams, wants and desires, his hatreds and passions. But...

 

14 days was also enough time for Bill to realize just how shit out of luck he was. He never did get the young man's phone number, and neither did Tad. Bill did know where Dipper's apartment was, but he figured he couldn't just go over there, unannounced and uninvited, even though he wanted to desperately, for fear of Dipper shutting the door in his face.

 

2 weeks felt like an eternity to Bill, and yet 2 weeks later here he was, standing yet again in the same room as Dipper, and he just couldn't stop wondering if Dipper had thought about him too.

 

Dipper still looked to same as he did 2 weeks ago, the same curly hair, the same muscular build, the same pale skin, the same brown eyes. It was like he really wasn’t gone for 2 weeks. And when Dipper looked up at him again, his brown eyes finding Bill’s own green ones, Bill’s breathing stuttered at the sight of a light blush creeping along Dipper’s features, and he didn’t miss the way Dipper’s eyes darting away just as quickly as they came. Bill tilted his head just a tad, _What was that?_ The question stuck in his head as he finally walked over, only catching the last half of the conversation.

 

“Will, could you please not run off like that?” Tad exasperated, running a hand through his hair.

 

Will smiled sheepishly, “*Lo siento, I was just excited to see Dipper!”

 

Tad gave Dipper a side glance, and found the young man to be a mix of surprise, embarrassment, and cheerfulness. “It has been some time,” Tad noted, “How have you been?”

 

“Pretty good!” Dipper replied, and right as he was about to continue on, the red headed girl to his right bumped her hip into his. Bill found that the pair must be really close, and he couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy that flared through him.

 

“Are you not going to introduce me?” she joked, pulling Dipper closer to her level, “Pretty rude don’t ya think?”

 

Dipper rolled his eyes, “Guys, this is Wendy. Wendy, this is Tad, Will and Bill.”

 

“Ah, so these are the folks you won’t shut up about,” Wendy smirked, and Dipper’s blush deepened a bit.

 

“So you’ve been talking about us?” Tad laughed.

 

“Hopefully only about the good things,” Bill interjected, “Oh wait, there is only good things!”

 

Wendy laughed at that, then turned to Dipper and said, “You’re right, he is quite the catch.”

 

Bill’s eyes widened, and he too could feel his face heat up. Dipper sputtered, ducking out of her hold, “W-Wendy!” The redhead threw back her head and laughed again, and Dipper hid his face behind his hands awkwardly. Tad, amused, looked down at Will, and for a split second was shocked. Will looked upset, his mouth turned down into a frown and his brows knitted together. “What’s the matter Will?” he asked, patting the boy’s head. All eyes were fixed on him, and Will looked down at the floor, shuffling his feet. Finally he looked up, making direct eye contact with Dipper.

 

“Is Wendy your girlfriend?”

 

Tad raised his eyebrow, not expecting the sudden question from Will, let alone not expecting how troubled the young boy looked because of this. He looked to Bill and found that he too was looking at Dipper with an unreadable expression on his face.

 

Wendy huffed, a tiny smile on her face now, “No way little man, me and Dipper have been friends since like forever. We’re basically siblings. And besides, Dipper doesn’t even like gir-” Dipper coughed loudly, the noise masking the last portion of the word. He awkwardly shoved her away, his face completely flushed now, moving her back to her station. He hoped they didn't hear the rest of what she said, but the message came across quite clear to the rest of the group, and especially to Bill.

 

Dipper doesn’t even like girls. Dipper doesn’t even like _girls_ . _Dipper doesn't even like girls_ . _DIPPER DOESN'T EVEN LIKE GIRLS_.

 

Bill’s head started to spin. Maybe there's still a chance for him after all? Maybe he didn't go through those two weeks for nothing? And maybe...possibly...hopefully...although quite impossibly...Dipper could like him in return? The thought alone made Bill’s stomach fill with butterflies, and that’s simply all that it was. A thought, a mere hint, a suggestion. His eyes never left Dipper’s face, not for a single second, and he stared as if he were trying to memorize every feature of the young man's face. _Could I still have a chance with you? Me, a crazy loon, with someone like you?_

 

“Oh,” was all that Will said, and shortly after a happy smile found it's way into his features. Tad was amused once more, and Bill was at a loss for words. Casually, Tad leaned against the counter.

 

“So, Dipper,” he began, “Got any plans for tomorrow evening?”

 

Bill's head whipped around so fast he swore he could have gotten whiplash. _Was Tad really-_

 

Dipper looked taken aback, and his words stuttered slightly, “Uh, n-nothing really, just staying at my place, w-why?”

 

Will seemed to know what was happening before Bill did, and he let out a surprised gasp, “Are we inviting Dipper to our dinner party?!”

 

Dipper looked between the three of them, “Dinner party?”

 

“Yup!” Will said proudly. “We have one every month!”

 

Dipper raised an eyebrow at that, “And you guys would like me to come?”

 

“Of course,” Tad said, “After all, why wouldn't we invite our newest friend?”

 

After several more minutes and an exchange of numbers, Bill, Tad and Will exited the local coffee shop (but not without Will getting a tea). Bill watched Will trot happily ahead of Tad and him, his mind a whirlwind but words refusing to fly out. Tad gave his friend a look, “You've been awfully quiet Bill. I'd figure you would be excited.”

 

Bill nodded slowly, “No I am, I'm just…”

 

“Just?”

 

“...I don't know. Nervous? Anxious?”

 

Tad scoffed, “Nervous? You? What have you done to Bill?”

 

Bill’s eyes fell to the sidewalk in front of him, “Don't worry, Bill is still here and handsome as ever. But he's got a lot on his mind.”

 

Will spun around, taking a sip of his tea. “**¿Estás pensando sobre Dipper?” he asked innocently.

 

Bill gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his chest, “Hush you!”

 

Tad snickered, earning a glare from Bill and a laugh from Will. The trio went about their merry way, Tad and Bill bickering and Will laughing, blissfully unaware of what was happening back at the coffee shop. Dipper was resting his head on the cash register, groaning to himself. What was he going to do? Should he actually go to the dinner party tomorrow? Was it wise of him to be stepping deeper into the lives of Tad Strange and the Cipher Brothers?

 

_“Of course… After all, why wouldn't we invite our newest friend?”_

 

The words echoed in his head. He promise Mabel… He _promised_ her to not get in any further, not to dive any deeper. But…

 

“I can see why you like him,” Wendy said all of a sudden, drawing Dipper out of his thoughts.

 

“Like who?” Dipper asked, rubbing his face with his hands.

 

“That Bill guy.”

 

Dipper sputtered, coughing a bit in shock and blushing, “I- I never said I liked him!”

 

Wendy winked, “Didn't have to, it was written all over your face.” She laughed at Dipper’s horrified expression, continuing on, “He didn't say much, but he's got this feel about him you know? Like he's holding back himself, being overly cautious, trying to look normal as possible. But from what you've told me he's anything but.”

 

Dipper looked down at his dirty shoes. “He's definitely not normal,” he mumbled.

 

“Maybe that's why you like him.”

 

Dipper raised an eyebrow at his friend, “What?”

 

“Well, honestly you're probably the most straight laced person I've ever met. Hell you don't even drink or go out on the weekends. Maybe what you need in your life is a little excitement, something explosive!”

 

“I'm perfectly fine with normal,” Dipper huffed. “Normal is safe and doesn't get you hurt or almost killed by lions.”

 

Wendy slapped Dipper playfully on the shoulder, “Dipper, you cannot look me in the eye and say that the zoo incident was anything short of exciting and insane and awesome. Who gets to say they faced off with a pack of lions and survived?”

 

“You mean a pride of lions. A group of lions is called a pride, although a group of male lions specifically is called a coalition.”

 

Wendy stared disbelieving at Dipper for a solid minute. “Dipper if you don’t go to that dinner party I will smother you in cocoa powder.”

 

 

**V^**

 

 

“Will, could you come in here for a moment?”

 

He looked up from his book, hearing Bill’s voice from his bedroom. Will set his book on the couch and got up, making his way quickly to Bill. He found the man standing around a pile of strewn about button up shirts and various black pants, mulling over his options. “Why is your room so messy?” Will asked, stepping over the clothes to get closer to Bill.

 

“Because I’m looking for something to wear tonight,” Bill answered, holding his chin in his hand. “I want to look my best, sexiest self for our guests.”

 

Will nodded, looking at all the clothes. He picked up a couple of shirts, only to drop them back onto the floor, as if they didn’t meet his standards. “Maybe you should wear a simple black shirt?” Will suggested, picking up a black button up and smoothing out the wrinkles in it.

 

“Are you sure?” Bill asked with worry, taking the shirt from Will and holding it up towards the ceiling.

 

Will nodded, “Yes! Dipper seems to like simple things, maybe he’ll like simple clothes too.”

 

Bill faltered for a moment, looking down at his little brother. “Why do think I’m looking my best for Dipper?”

 

Will smiled, “Because you are!”

 

Bill watched silently as Will walked back out of his bedroom, unsure of what to say. What could he say? Will wasn’t wrong.

 

 

**V^**

 

 

Dipper looked around his bedroom at the clothes that littered the floor. _What should I wear? The party is in a couple hours and I still don’t know what to wear._ He sighed, falling back onto his bed. He stared up at his ceiling, his mind thinking slowly, his thoughts seeming to make themselves visible in front of his eyes. And suddenly, an odd thought struck him.

 

His bed was cold.

 

His bed was usually cold, always was and Dipper figured it always would be. He lived in this apartment alone, which is probably why the place was cold, including his bed. But… he remembered when his bed wasn’t cold for the first time, when it had the warmth of another…

 

_Bill Cipher._

 

Insane, unstable, crazy, lunatic, un-normal. Everything Dipper would deem unsafe somehow encompassed everything that made Bill. Bill was something Dipper had never seen before, something wild and sporadic, reflexive and unthinking. And yet Bill made Dipper’s bed _warm_. These past 2 weeks, these past 14 days, these past 336 hours, these past 20,160 minutes, these past 1,209,600 seconds Dipper found himself missing that warmth, craving it, wanting to dive into it and never leave. And it made him worry immensely. Normal is safe. Normal has always been safe. Normal is preferable and desirable. What else could you possibly want?

 

_Bill Cipher._

 

Dipper was afraid and worried. He was worried about what Mabel would say, how she would react, what she would inevitably say to Ashter. And that was enough for Dipper to be absolutely afraid. Afraid for his relationship with his sister, how his life would turn out un-normal. But what he was afraid of most of all though... He was afraid that he's already fallen so hard for Bill that there was no going back now. Dipper rolled over onto his stomach, burying his face into his cold blankets.

_What is it about you, Bill Cipher, that makes me like this?_ _Could I even have a chance with you? Me, a boring, normal person, with someone like you?_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * "Lo siento," - "I'm sorry,"
> 
> ** "¿Estás pensando sobre Dipper?” - "Are you thinking about Dipper?"
> 
>  
> 
> Crossing my fingers, hoping these are the correct translations, I was looking off some old notes of mine. 
> 
> -V


	7. A Little Crush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhh!!! New chapter! Super pumped, y'all! I've been crazy busy lately but now I'm back in action!! Thank you all for such lovely comments <3 
> 
> Without further ado, happy reading!
> 
> -V
> 
> P.S.This chapter was inspired by the song "Crush" by Yuna

 

In the end, Dipper decided to wear a dark green button up matched with black jeans and black converse. He stood in front of his mirror, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to tame the crazy strands, but he inevitably gave up and settled for the messy bed head look. He let out a shaky breath, and soon he found his feet taking him out of the safety of his apartment, keys and wallet and phone in hand. He unlocked his car and climbed into the driver’s seat. Dipper sat there for a moment, unmoving, just thinking.

 

He thought about the people he would see when he got there, about how they would be dressed, how they behaved and joked. And Dipper couldn’t help but think about what Bill would be doing, if he would somehow be a wallflower or the life of the party, if he would spend most of the night with Tad or Will or possibly even Dipper himself. He also thought about what Bill would be wearing, wondering if it would match his outgoing personality, and he wondered about what Will and Tad would wear too, and Dipper caught himself chuckling at the thought of the three of them dressing alike yet again. His eyes wandered to the backseat of the car, and it was almost as if he could see Bill slumped there, hiding out, cradling his head, having just escaped his wedding.

 

_Escaped...?_

 

Dipper shook his head. _Don’t worry about that, you’ll deal with it when the time comes. Enjoy yourself._ And with that, Dipper did his best to shove out those conflicting thoughts, and he pushed the key into the ignition and turned, and the car roared to life, the sound of the motor running the only sound he could make out  over the rapid beat of his heart. The drive was surprisingly short, and within ten minutes Dipper found himself parking outside Tad’s home but…

 

His car was the only car there. Dipper quickly checked his phone. The numbers there told him that it was only 5:04, and that he was an  well over an hour early. He groaned aloud, resting his head on the steering wheel, how did this end up happening? After a moment of contemplation, he concluded that his best course of action would be to just go inside now. Besides, what’s the worse that could happen?

 

The moment Dipper got out of his car, approached the front door and knocked did he found out what the worse thing could happen was.

 

The front door was forcefully tugged open, revealing a handsomely wild Bill Cipher with copious amounts of white powder on his grey shirt and jeans. Bill was out of breath, as if he raced to the door, and Dipper stared at the mysterious white substance covering the man while Bill stared at Dipper staring at his mess. Bill, embarrassed at himself for looking like this in front of _Dipper freaking Pines_ , blurted the first thing that came to mind.

 

“I swear I’m not trying to recreate an episode of Breaking Bad.”

 

Dipper’s gaze went to Bill’s face, his expression flattening, “Bill if that’s actually meth on your shirt I will call the police.”

 

Bill choked, taking a step back and raising up his hands, as if he were rewinding the situation. “Okay, I did _not_ mean to say that, holy hell it’s just flour I swear! The last thing I need is the cops to be on me again!”

 

“Again?” Dipper repeated incredulously, and suddenly there came a squeal from inside the house that startled both of them. Bill spun around to see Will running over to them, completely covered head to toe with the white powder, colliding with Dipper as he gave the tall man a hug.

 

“Dipper you’re just in time!” Will smiled, hugging Dipper tight.

 

Dipper chuckled, returning the hug to Will despite the mess it was creating on his clothes, “Just in time for what?”

 

“Dessert!”

 

Dipper looked up at Bill’s shirt again. “Were you two baking?”

 

Wiill nodded, and he began tugging Dipper’s arm, beckoning him to come inside. They passed Bill and entering into the kitchen and… Dipper’s eyes widened. The kitchen was an absolute wreck, with various pots and cooking utensils strewn about the countertops and ingredients lying about and a bag of open flour on the floor. “What were you two trying to make?” Dipper asked, surveying the mess with wide eyes.

 

“Tad left us in charge of making the apple pie,” Bill said from across the room, closing the front door and making his way to the messy kitchen. “But then things sort of got out of hand and _somebody_ thought it would be a good idea to start a flour throwing contest.”

 

“That somebody being Bill,” Will informed.

 

Dipper rolled his eyes, “Of course it was Bill’s idea.” Bill folded his arms over his chest with a pout, mumbling something along the lines of ‘And I totally won’ under his breath.

 

Suddenly, Dipper clapped his hands together, catching the brothers attentions instantly. “Well boys,” he began, looking around the kitchen, “We have one hour to get this apple pie into the oven and to clean up this mess.”

 

“We?” Bill asked, raising an eyebrow. Will’s eyes lit up happily, and he bounced in place as he cheered, “I wanna peel the apples!”

 

Dipper laughed, “Me and Bill will take care of the peeling, but I promise you can mix everything together.”

 

Will nodded confidently, and Bill was just surprised that Dipper was helping them to begin with. He stared as Will and Dipper talked about how to bake the pie, his comprehensible thoughts far gone and only the ones about _Dipper_ remained. Said young man looked up at Bill mid conversation, and the two locked eyes for the briefest of moments, but to Bill it felt like forever.

 

“Ready to bake a pie?” Dipper  asked him, drawing Bill out of his daze. Bill nodded hurriedly, stepping closer to hear how it was done.

 

The next 45 minutes was filled with near frantic movements. Bill and Dipper peeled and sliced the apples while Dipper listed off the ingredients they needed for Will to grab from the shelves. The peeling took up most of the time, and at one point Dipper was convinced Bill nearly cut off one of his fingers in attempts to prank Will. Dipper tasked Bill with flouring and rolling out the pie crusts as Will and Dipper made the pie filling, mixing the apples with cinnamon and sugar. Dipper made a butter and sugar mixture in one of the pans, and soon placed the lower pie crust layer on top. He had to help Will put in the apple mixture as the bowl was a little heavier than Will realized, and Bill put the second pie crust on top of that. They did their best to recreated the fancy pie edges, and Dipper topped off the pie with a thin layer of egg white and sugar. Dipper smiled broadly as he carefully placed the pie into the oven, with Will and Bill high fiving each other behind him.

 

The kitchen ended up being even more of a mess than before Dipper realized, and right as he was about to start cleaning up, Bill quickly stopped him. “Don’t worry about cleaning!” he rushed out. “I can do that easily, plus you helped us with this, the least I can do is put the kitchen back together again.”

 

“If you say so,” Dipper said, his eyes finding Will, who was looking down at the flour still on his clothes.

 

Bill’s eyes also found Will, taking in his appearance, “Actually, would you mind helping Will get that flour off him? There’s a couple towels you could use in the bathroom.”

 

Dipper nodded, and he followed WIll out of the kitchen and down to the hallway. WIll opened the bathroom door and flipped the switch. The harsh fluorescent lighting flooded the dark room, and Dipper found himself standing in front of the bathroom mirror. Somehow flour had gotten on his own shirt too, and the realization made Will chuckle.

 

“Looks like you and me are a pair, huh?” Dipper laughed, looking at their reflections.

 

Will couldn’t help but smile, “Yup! Sorry I got flour on you though.”

 

“No worries,” Dipper reassured, grabbing one of the towels that was hanging on the wall. Will hopped (or rather, Dipper helped him hop) onto the sink counter and swayed his feet back and forth as Dipper began to wipe off the flour on him. “So,” Dipper began, striking up a conversation to fill the silence, “How have you been, Will?”

 

“Pretty good!” Will chirped. “Tad and Bill are always fun to be with, and school has been going pretty well so far.”

 

Dipper nodded, “Tad and Bill have told me you’re pretty smart.”

 

“Oh yeah, I’m the smartest person in my entire grade!” he said with pride. “Everyone asks me for help with their homework and not the teacher.”

 

Dipper chuckled at that, imagining the curly haired blonde leading the class as a bored teacher hung out in the background. “Do you like your classmates?” Dipper asked curiously. There was a brief pause as Will thought the question over, his expression almost calculating in a way Dipper couldn’t quite understand. And then suddenly, a quick smile flashed across his features, only to be drawn back in so quickly that Dipper had to question if it was even there in the first place.

 

“Well…” Will started slowly. “i do like them but...there’s one in particular that’s really confusing to me.”

 

Dipper set down the flour ridden towel on the side of the counter, finally finished with getting the white substance off of Will’s clothes. He hopped onto the counter beside Will. “Confusing how?” Dipper questioned, wiping some of the flour off his jeans. “They aren’t bullying you are they?”

 

“No, no, no, nothing like that,” Will assured him. “Her name is Amelia and she’s nice and stuff but…”

 

“But?”

 

“Everytime I see her I feel weird,” Will said with a little sigh, slumping forward. “Like she’s the only one I can focus on. And then my heart does this thing where it beats really fast and my hands get all sweaty and gross.” Will held out his hands for emphasis, his palms open. He looked up at Dipper then with worry, “Am I sick or something?”

 

Dipper raised his eyebrows, and slowly things began to click in his head. “Do you think about her a lot?”

 

Will nodded.

 

“Do you like being close to her?”

 

Will nodded.

 

“Then you’re not sick, you’ve got a crush on her!”

 

Will’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion, “A crush?”

 

Dipper couldn’t help but chuckle, he couldn’t handle how adorable Will was being right now, “Yeah, it’s when you really like somebody.”

 

“So it isn’t a sickness?”

 

“Not even close.”

 

“What happens when you have a crush on someone?”

 

Dipper thought about it for a moment. “Well, when you have a crush on someone, it’s like you can’t get them out of your head. You always want to be next to them and hang out with them and talk with them. When you’re not around them you sort of get this lonely feeling, ya know? Like you’re missing them. But then when you see them it’s like the greatest thing in the world and it lights up your day.”

 

Will stared at Dipper thoughtfully, “Have you ever had a crush?”

 

Dipper smiled softly, “Of course, though most of the time it doesn’t work out.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“Because…” he hesitated. It wasn’t every day you sort of come out to a six year old. “I guess you could say I’m picky about who I like.”

 

Will nodded, “Bill’s like that too.”

 

The pair sat in quiet for a couple of moments, each lost in their own thoughts. Dipper chanced a glance at Will, who was looking at the floor idly, swinging his feet back and forth. Then, Will broke the silence.

 

“I think BIll might have a crush.”

 

And just like that, Dipper’s breathing stopped altogether. _Bill might have… a crush?_ Dipper’s thoughts exploded into a million questions, all of them being different variations of _Who does he have a crush on?_ When Dipper spoke, it was a little slow and precise, trying to mask his curiosity.

“W-what makes you say that?”

 

“Well like, whenever Bill is not near them, he’s always talking about them, and it’s kind of like how you described it where he misses them. But when Bill is with them he gets all nervous at first and makes a really weird joke. He always tries to look good in front of them and be all cool too. Plus he never seems to look away from them and he’s only really ever focused on them.”

 

Dipper followed along carefully, his eyes trained to the floor. “That...that definitely sounds like a crush.”

 

Will beamed, and he hopped off the bathroom counter. “Thanks for helping us by the way.”

 

Dipper snapped out of it, and he too slid off the counter next to Will, “No problem, Will. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I wasn’t here honestly.”

 

The two left the bathroom and headed back to the kitchen. Dipper was surprised by two things, one being that the kitchen looked spotless, and two being Tad talking to Bill next to the dining table with bags of groceries in his hands. “Tad!” both Dipper and Will said simultaneously, and Tad looked to them with a hint of surprise on his face.

 

“Dipper! You’re here early!” he exclaimed, setting down the bags on the table. “And here I thought Bill was just talking about you for no reason!” Dipper looked at Bill, and despite the flour that lightly dusted his features Dipper could make out the faintest of blushes creeping along his cheeks.

 

_...whenever Bill is not near them, he’s always talking about them..._

 

“Whatever Tad!” Bill grumbled, and Will laughed as he made his way over to the pair, peaking inside of the grocery bags.

 

“Yeah, I didn’t check the time when I left and I ended up being here an hour early,” Dipper explained, crossing over with Will.

 

“No worries, our guests will be here shortly anyway,” Tad said as he patted Dipper’s shoulder in greeting.

 

Will piped in happily, “Dipper helped us make the pie!”

 

Bill was quick to shush Will, “Don’t tell him our secrets! Don’t you want the praise all to yourself?”

 

Tad rolled his eyes at that, “Well that’s very thoughtful of Dipper, isn’t it?”

 

Dipper blushed, “It was no trouble really!”

 

Tad laughed, picking up one of the bags and carrying it over to the fridge. Will followed suit, picking up one of the lighter bags and taking it over to Tad. They left Dipper and Bill at the table, the two silently watching the others move about. After a moment, Tad looked over to them with an eyebrow raised, “You complain about not seeing Dipper for so long and now you don’t even talk to him?”

 

Bill sputtered, tripping up on his words awkwardly, “What- Literally- Tad, we were just standing here!”

 

Tad hummed, a playful smile on his face, “Bill sure did miss you Dipper.”

 

_...and it’s kind of like how you described it where he misses them…_

 

Dipper looked over at Bill, “Is that so?”

 

“No- Well, kinda, sort of-” Bill got out quickly, and from across the room Tad was laughing aloud. Will looked up at Tad, and for a brief instant they shared a mutual understanding. Tad set down his bag and swivelled around, eyeing the clothes Bill was wearing. “I hope you’re not going to be dressed like that?” he asked with an amused grin.

 

“Well he did open the door for Dipper like that,” Will said, ratting Bill out.

 

“And he joked about recreating one of the episodes from Breaking Bad,” Dipper added, making Bill groan in embarrassment.

 

_...but when Bill is with them he gets all nervous at first and makes a really weird joke..._

 

“Of course I’m not dressing like this!” Bill exasperated. “I was just going to change after we finished the pie.”

 

Tad shooed Bill out of the kitchen, telling him to go get dressed at once, leaving Dipper and Will to finish putting away the groceries. Not to long after, people began to arrive at Tad’s, men, women, couples, singles, all dressed to the nines and making Dipper feel a little self conscious. He hung back with Will in the kitchen for the most part, watching folks flit around and talk to one another like they all were best friends.  Every so often Tad would come back to check in on Will, but for the most part he was either greeting folks and talking or getting food out onto the dining table. When Dipper asked Will about the people, Will informed him that mostly they were colleagues of Tad’s or friends from college.

 

Will suddenly stopped mid sentence to wave at someone, and Dipper looked up to see who. He could feel his heartbeat pick up when he spotted Bill waving back, the older man dressed simply in a black button up and black slacks. His wavy hair was brushed neatly to the side, making him look genuinely classy, even more so than on his wedding day. Dipper just couldn’t take his eyes off him as the man slowly made his way over to them, greeting the guests one by one. It was fascinating to see Bill talk to everyone so calmly, and it was like he was holding himself back in a way. Will poked Dipper to grab his attention, “Bill says he acts more his age whenever he’s around his old friends.” Dipper nodded slowly, it made sense really since Bill was almost 30 now.

 

Once Bill finally made it over to them, he let out a huge sigh of relief. “Tired?” Dipper asked with a chuckle. Bill shook his head, stretching his arms wide, “Nah, it’s just difficult looking this good and everyone wanting to talk to you, ya know?”

 

_...he always tries to look good in front of them and be all cool too…_

 

Dipper rolled his eyes, but mentally he had to agree with Bill. “You look really nice, although I half expected you to walk out here with a cane and top hat or something.”

 

Bill scoffed, “No way! That’s reserved for more special occasions if you must know.”

 

“Bill has a gold cane that he likes to swing around,” Will chimed in. “I have to stand a ways away from him though, I always think he’s going to accidentally hit me with it.”

 

“Like an actual gold cane?” Dipper asked in disbelief.

 

“Yup! I got it while I was in Europe,” Bill said with pride, placing his hands on his hips.

 

There was a ding from behind them, and they all turned to see that the oven light had gone from red to green. “The pie is done!” Will cheered, rushing to grab the oven mitts. He handed them off to Dipper, who put them on and opened the oven up. The smell of the freshly made apple pie made heads turn as Dipper pulled it out and carried it over to the rest of the food. Dipper smiled triumphantly at the pie, it looked amazingly good and he could already tell it was going to be delicious. Several of the guests made their ways over to get a slice, each one complimenting Dipper on how good it smelled. Dipper made small talk with some of them, getting to know them at least a little bit before they walked off to either their date or their other friends. As Dipper conversed with them though, he couldn’t help but feel a tingling feeling, as if someone was watching him intently and closely. It wasn’t an unsettling feeling in the slightest, more warming and comforting than anything, and after Dipper finished talking to another guest he looked around the living room, then the dining room, and then his eyes went to the kitchen and…

 

His eyes went straight to Bill, who was looking directly at him, despite crouching down to be floor level with Will. Having been caught, Bill quickly looked down at the floor, listening closely to what Will was telling him.

 

_...plus he never seems to look away from them and he’s only really ever focused on them…_

 

And then Dipper felt his face alight in heat, could feel his cheeks reddening, his heart pick up speed and his hands go cold and his breathing shorten because suddenly he knew, he just _knew_.

 

Bill has a crush on _him_.

 

And he has a crush on _Bill_.

 

Dipper’s head spun. Bill has a crush on him, _Bill_ has a crush on him, Bill has a crush on _him_ ! The thought made Dipper feel lighter than air, and it was _amazing_. Quickly, Dipper sought out Tad, finding the man talking with a lady across the room.

 

From the kitchen, Bill watched Dipper weave in between the guests, his face a mix of emotions he couldn’t decipher and his movements urgent. _What could he be doing?_ Bill asked himself curiously.

 

“He’s probably going to go talk to Tad,” Will answered, startling Bill.

 

“How did you-”

 

“You’ve been staring at him for five minutes straight now. I started to talk about aliens living in the basement and you didn’t even notice.”

 

Bill groaned, rubbing his face with his hands. “I’m sorry Will...I just don’t know what to do about this whole thing.”

 

Will nudged Bill’s shoulder with his own, “Maybe you should talk to Dipper.”

 

“I can’t just talk to him!” Bill cried softly, slumping in defeat. “That’s like the nerd talking to the hottest cheerleader in school. It just doesn’t work like that.”

 

“But what if the cheerleader was secretly a nerd too?” Will proposed.

 

“Well...the cheerleader is still a cheerleader though.”

 

“But what if the nerd was also a cheerleader? What is they both are nerds and cheerleaders?”

 

Bill said nothing to that, rather looking through the crowd to find Dipper. Said young man was in fact talking to Tad, Dipper’s back facing Bill, but if Tad’s face was anything to go by… The man looked surprised, and there was a knowing grin plastered on his face. Then, Tad made several gestures to Will and him, and Dipper made even more hurried movements. _Just what the hell are they talking about?_

 

“Go talk to him after the party,” Will urge, “You never know what will happen.”

 

“You mean _could_ . You never know what _could_ happen.”

 

Will gave Bill a sidelong glance, his own knowing grin on his face, and said nothing.

 

Soon the party came to a close, with guests dwindling out slowly into the night. It had gotten very late, and it was probably around 9 or so when the last of the guests left. Those that remained was just Bill, Will, Tad, and Dipper, who volunteered to help clean up the place, even though Tad insisted that he didn’t have to. Despite them all being worn out, their moods were high as they cleaned. Several times Bill started beatboxing horrifically, making Tad groan and Will laugh hysterically. Tad cracked a couple jokes about Bill, who in turn made jokes back at him, and at one point there was puns being fired back and forth. Dipper watched this all go on with amusement, and by 9:45 the place was completely put back together.

 

“Looks like another job well done,” Tad said happily, thankful that they had another pair of hands to make the work go by quicker.

 

“And,” Bill began, going to Will to nudge him towards the hallway, “It’s time for you to go to bed little man.”

 

Will whined, but he did as he was told, saying goodnight to Dipper before heading off to his bedroom with Bill in tow. Tad and Dipper watched after them, and once Dipper thought they were out of earshot, he turned to Tad quickly.

 

“Should I talk to him now or later?” he breathed nervously.

 

“I would say now,” Tad mused, “Who knows when you’ll see him next. It might even be longer than two weeks if you don’t say something now.”

 

Dipper nodded, and he ended the conversation when he heard Bill walking back into the room. “Put Will to sleep, he should be clocking out here pretty soon. The kid was hella tired.”

 

“That’s good, hopefully he’ll sleep well then,” Tad murmured, looking at Dipper from the corner of his eye. “You should probably be heading home soon too Dipper, we don’t want to keep you long if you have to work in the morning.”

 

Dipper perked up at that, “Actually I’m good, I don’t have to work until Tuesday morning, but I should probably get going. Tad nodded, side hugging Dipper goodbye and clapping Bill on the shoulder as he left to go to bed. The room fell silent then, Bill acutely aware of how shallow his breathing was. “Well…” Bill started awkwardly, only to but cut off by Dipper.

 

“Wouldyouliketohangoutsometimesoon?” Dipper rushed, his posture stiff and his words almost intangible.

 

“I - What?” Bill asked, bewildered.

 

Dipper sighed, feeling his blush getting worse, “Would you… like to hang out soon? Together, I mean.”

 

Something short circuited in Bill’s brain, frying his thoughts in one fluid motion. He was speechless, merely staring at Dipper.

 

“I m-mean, only if you want to!” Dipper stammered. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, you might be like really busy or something and if you have stuff to do then by all means go do them, don’t worry about-”

 

“Yes.”

 

Dipper faltered, “Huh?”

 

“Yes as in yes, I would love to hang out with you.”

 

The two said nothing to each other for a moment, only looking at one another, and there was a tangible feeling of both excitement and anxiousness between them.

 

“Are you...are you free tomorrow? We could maybe go grab lunch or-”

 

“That sounds awesome!”

 

Another brief pause.

 

“I’ll swing by here around 11 or so? Will that work-”

 

“Yup! Totally works!”

 

Another brief pause.

 

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

 

“See you tomorrow.”

 

Bill watched Dipper leave, and he stood in the doorway to make sure that Dipper got to his car safely and drive away. He was so focused on the young man that he didn’t even notice Tad and Will peek their heads out from the hallway, Will trying not to giggle and Tad looking amused as ever.


	8. In the Supplies Closet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy hell this chapter is long. Like, longer than the rest of the chapters, or pretty close to being the longest chapter. A lot happens too, like a lil bit of angst, lil bit of romance, lil bit of M rated stuff (but like, not really?), and a whole lot of Bill questioning everything. I'm going to make it a goal to at least now start posting for this story twice a week (probably Sundays and Thursdays/Fridays?), so look out for more frequent updates y'all!
> 
> Enjoy reading you lovely person you :)
> 
> -V

Bill woke before his alarm clock went off, awareness slowly coming to him in waves as he sat up in bed. The curtains over his windows were drawn closed, but he knew that if he were to open them he would be greeted by the sight of bright sunlight and birds flitting about their morning routines. He took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and for a moment his eyes were drawn to the empty space beside him. He shut his eyes then, allowing the faint memories of his dream to flash before his eyes-

 

_Gentle tracing of fingertips along skin,_

 

_whispers of sweet nothings,_

 

_feather like kisses,_

 

_calming,_

 

_warm,_

 

_need._

 

Bill opened his eyes again, and those images went away as soon as they came, but his groggy mind did its best to remember as many details as it could. He didn’t want to forget a single thing, even if it was a dream.

 

He heard the slight creaking of his door opening, and he looked over to find that Will was peeking into the room. His tiny figure was wrapped in his bedsheets and his hair was a curly mess. The moment Will saw that Bill was awake, he slipped his way inside the room, silently closing the door behind him and rushed to Bill’s bed. He hopped up onto the bed and immediately laid down next to Bill in a heap of covers. Bill raised an eyebrow, and soon he was lying back down on the bed facing Will, whose face was partially covered by the blankets, only his nose, eyes and messy hair visible. Bill noticed the slight shivering coming from Will’s form.

 

*“¿Que pasó?” Bill asked worriedly, reaching up a hand to push away the hair that fell on Will’s face.

 

“Tuve una pesadilla,” Will mumbled, refusing to look Bill in the eyes.

 

“¿Sobre?”

 

Will was quiet for a moment, yet Bill already knew what his brother would say next.

 

“...mamá.”

 

In one swift movement, Bill grabbed hold of Will and held him in securely in his arms, resting his chin on Will’s head. He could feel just how shaken up Will was, and Bill hated it with every fiber of his being. They stayed like that until Will had calmed down a bit, but Bill refused to let Will go as he picked up the boy and carried him in his arms.

 

“How about some breakfast, hm?” Bill suggested in a whisper, and Will nodded slowly, resting his head on Bill’s shoulder. Bill carried him all the way to the kitchen, setting his charge down on the kitchen countertop. The covers spilled out everywhere, and Bill did his best not to trip over them. He rummaged through the cabinets and drawers until he found two bowls and two spoons, handing a pair to Will. He then went to the fridge to pull out the milk, and grabbed the box of cereal on the top of the fridge. Bill went back to Will and poured him a generous amount of cereal and milk before fixing a bowl for himself. After he was done pouring the milk, he got up and sat on the counter beside Will. They ate in a comfortable silence, their legs knocking together every once in awhile.

 

That’s exactly how Tad found them an hour later, sitting side by side on the counter, now talking in hushed tones and holding empty bowls. Bill gave Tad a look that told him everything he needed to know: Will hadn’t slept well. Their morning was a little more relaxed than usual, since Will and Bill was up earlier than they needed to be. After breakfast, Bill helped Will get dressed for school, Bill doing his best to lighten Will’s mood, even just a little bit.

 

“Where’s a fun place to go with someone?” Bill asked him, setting one of Will’s shirts on his bed.

 

Will looked up from the pair of shirts he was holding in his hands, “To go with someone?”

 

“Yeah,” Bill nodded, “Like to the movies or a restaurant or cafe or something.”

 

“So like a date?”

 

Bill choked, erupting into a coughing fit that he covered with his sleeve. When the fit passed, his voice was a little horse, “N-not a date! Definitely not a date, just two platonic people hanging out platonically and having a good, platonic time doing absolutely platonic stuff.”

 

Will let out a soft chuckle, “Sounds like a date. Are you going on a date soon?”

 

Bill said nothing.

 

“Is it with Dipper?”

 

Bill said nothing. But he threw the shirt he was holding at Will’s face. That earned a laugh from Will, and Bill couldn’t pretend to be mad at him, even for a second.

 

“I think... you two should go to the park.”

 

“The park?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Bill mulled it over in his head. The park _did_ sound like a platonic place for platonic people to hang out and do platonic things. Platonically.

 

“What a minute,” Bill started, “How do you even know what a date is?”

 

And to that Will simply smiled and said nothing.

 

The rest of the morning flew by fast, and soon Bill and Tad were watching Will get on his bus to head to school. Tad waved his goodbyes while Bill shouted them to Will in Spanish, successfully confusing the rest of the kids on the bus except for Will. The pair watched the bus drive away from the street corner, and once it was out of sight the started the trek back to Tad’s house. They walked in silence for about a block before Tad finally spoke up.

 

“Did he have another nightmare?” He asked, shoving his hands in his pocket.

 

Bill sighed, “Yeah… it was about Marie again.”

 

Tad glanced over at Bill and saw how visibly tense he was, his shoulders rigid and his posture stiff. He decided not to push the matter any further, knowing how sensitive the topic was to the two brothers. Instead, he decided to drive the conversation in a more positive direction.

 

“So…” he began, eyeing Bill curiously, “Dipper asked some pretty interesting questions about you last night.” Tad could have laughed at the way Bill snapped to attention, but he did laugh at the man tripping over a rock on the sidewalk and nearly falling over it.

 

“He did?!” Bill blurted out, flustered, “About what? What did he say?”

 

Tad hummed, “Oh you know, just stuff.”

 

“I actually don’t know what ‘just stuff’ is,” Bill huffed, crossing his arms like a child.

 

“Well, I’m pretty sure he asked something along the lines of...dates or something?” Tad offered, playing it off as if he didn’t really remember. But of course, he did, but he wouldn’t let Bill know that.

 

“Dates?!” Bill repeated in disbelief. And then he stumbled again, and Tad erupted into laughter. The walk back home was full of Tad’s endless teasing and Bill endlessly trying to pry more information from Tad with no success.

The following hours were calm and dull as Bill waited for Dipper to arrive. Tad had left for work not too long ago, leaving Bill alone in the tiny house. He filled the time going through his closet trying to find clothes to wear. _What’s a platonic outfit to wear?_ He wondered to himself, picking up various t-shirts and button ups. He set them all out on his bed, along with his best, not ripped jeans, and thought over his options. By the time he went through 12 outfit ideas there was a knock at the front door.

 

Bill started, rushing to put on the other leg of his pants and hurrying out of his bedroom. When he reached the front door, it took every bit of his self control to not yank the door open. He opened the front door calmly (sort of shaky), revealing none other than Dipper Pines in the flesh. Dipper wore a faded blue jacket, sleeves pushed up to his elbows, and a red t-shirt with tan cargo shorts. Bill couldn’t help but note how good Dipper looked in the outfit, and if he were to look hard enough Bill could make out the lines of Dipper’s abdomen.

 

“Hey old sport!” Bill greeted, stepping back to invite Dipper inside. Except, Dipper stood where he was, staring at Bill’s shirt. He had a weird look of confusion and a hint of something else on his face, and Bill raised an eyebrow in question, “What? Is there something on my shirt?”

 

“Bill you aren’t wearing a shirt.”

 

Bill, surprised, looked down at himself. “Huh,” he said casually. He really wasn’t wearing a shirt. Bill looked back up at Dipper, catching the man’s eyes briefly following the lines of Bill’s form before quickly going back to his face. They locked eyes for the tiniest of moments, and Bill could see a light blush forming on Dipper’s face.

 

“I’ll be right back,” Bill rushed then, jogging back to his room, feeling Dipper’s eyes planted squarely on his back until he was out of sight. When Bill reached his room, he keeled over, inhaling a deep breath before exhaling it all. _Strictly platonic_ he kept chanting in his head as he picked up a shirt and pulled it on. _Strictly platonic._

 

Bill walked back out to the front room, finding Dipper leaning on the back of one of the couches, staring at the floor with a blank expression. When he noticed Bill entering, he looked up at him and stood up straight. “You ready to go?” Dipper asked, peering quickly at Bill’s shirt.

 

“You betcha!” Bill said, motioning for Dipper to leave before him. The two walked out of the house, and Bill locked and shut the front door. The afternoon sun was high in the sky, and the weather was nice and warm and comforting, and Bill couldn’t help but take in a breath of the fresh air. Dipper smiled softly at the notion, “So, do you have any place in mind you wanted to go to?”

 

“We could...go to the park?”

 

“The park?”

 

  
“Yeah.” _Because that’s a platonic place to go, right?_ Bill added on in his head.

 

Dipper nodded in agreement, “That’s not a bad idea actually.”

 

Bill smiled broadly, “Let’s get going then!”

 

They climbed into Dipper’s car, and within a matter of minutes, Bill was singing along to car tunes, urging Dipper to partake as well. Dipper politely declined, but he couldn’t help but laugh at Bill’s attempts to reach Sia’s high notes in Chandelier. They reach the local park in a matter of minutes, and Dipper pulls into the parking lot and secures himself a spot. They both unbuckle and get out, closing the doors on the way. _It seems like we’re not the only ones who thought it was so nice out_ Dipper thought idly.

 

The park was massive, being on about a couple miles of land, and was fully equipped with a playground, walking and running trails, various ponds and gardens, and even tennis courts and a children’s spray park. There were a ton of people about, which was a little surprising for a Monday afternoon. Couples walking hand in hand, joggers running, and occasional families playing with their small children, it was bustling with activity. “Where should we start?” Dipper asked Bill, looking over to the man.

 

“The playground, duh!”

 

“Bill, aren’t we a little old to be playing on a children’s playground?”

 

“You might be, but I’m not.”

 

“Aren’t you like, 30 years old?”

 

“Excuse you! I am 29!”

 

“That’s basically 30.”

 

“Listen here youngen, that is no way to talk to your elders!”

 

“Bill, oh my god!”

 

“Do not curse in front of me, whippersnapper!”

 

The entire walk to the playground was Bill pretending to be a grandpa and Dipper unable to control his laughter. Once they made it to the playground, Bill made a beeline to the swingset and plopped right down in the center swing. He was much too big for the swing, and he had to extend out his legs in order to properly sit. Bill beckoned for Dipper to come over and push him, and Dipper simply rolled his eyes, calling Bill a child. Dipper gave a couple gentle pushes until he used all of his strength to propel Bill forward, running underneath him and the swing in the process. Bill screeched, not expecting Dipper to run under, and nearly fell backwards off the swing. The two caused quite a scene, concerned parents observing from a distance and kids whispering and laughing, but if either Dipper or Bill noticed, they didn’t mention it, instead having a good time running about the playground and climbing on the equipment.

 

About an hour passed like that, and Dipper and Bill found themselves sitting on top roof of the slide, chatting away about this and that. Midway during their conversation, they were interrupted by the gruff sound of someone coughing, and both men looked down to see a security officer glaring sternly at them.

 

“Good afternoon officer!” Bill jeered happily. Dipper looked on nervously, his eyes going back and forth between Bill and the officer.

 

“Hello,” the officer spoke in clipped syllables. “We were alerted of a disturbance on the playground.”

 

“A disturbance?” Bill gasped, looking about. “Where?” Dipper lightly slapped Bill’s arm in a warning, and the officer continued to glare at them.

 

“Sirs, I’m going to have to ask you two to leave the premise.”

 

Bill quickly looked at Dipper. “ _Get ready to run_ ,” he whispered, catching Dipper off guard, “Well, officer, I’m going to politely decline your request!”

 

Dipper heard the officer growl, and watched horrified as the man started towards the slide. Bill grabbed Dipper’s hand, and suddenly, they were leaping off the roof and breaking out into a run. Dipper looked behind him as saw that the officer was running after them shouting, and instinctively, he quickened his running pace, surpassing Bill but still holding onto his hand as he ran. Bill gladly let Dipper take the lead, and soon the pair were on the outskirts of the park on the running trail. However Dipper didn’t stop running until they were safely across the street and a couple blocks away from the park.

 

They slowed down to jog, reaching a stoplight to catch their breath. “Holy hell,” Bill gasped between breaths, “How -the fuck - do you - run - so fast?” Dipper looked up from his bent over posture, a smirk crawling on his lips.

 

“I run a lot when I work out,” he said simply, stretching up now with his hands in the air.

 

“Ha - you’d probably - give Rocky - a run for his money.”

“Flattering, but I doubt that.”

 

Bill looked up at Dipper, and his breath hitched in his throat. Despite not being so out of breath like Bill was, Dipper was covered in a layer of sweat that caused his shirt to cling to his chest. There were droplets of sweat that fell down his face and neck, and with Dipper inhaling so deeply, it reminded Bill of-

 

_Nails digging deep into skin,_

 

_uttering of filthy words,_

 

_teeth grazing lips,_

 

_roughness,_

 

_heated,_

 

_need._

 

Bill’s eyes snapped wide open, and promptly he looked down at the sidewalk. Bit and pieces of his dream the night before came flooding back to him, and he could feel his face heating up and his muscles tensing. He let out a strained cough, and Dipper looked down at Bill with worry. “Are you alright?” he asked, and Bill waved him off.

 

“Y-yup! Just, thirsty is all!” Bill lied through his teeth, hoping Dipper wouldn’t notice his sudden discomfort. Dipper looked across the street, finding that they were actually pretty close to downtown now, which means they could stop at his job for some water. “We could head to the coffee shop to get something to drink?” Dipper suggested, and Bill approved by waving his hand again.

 

The trek was a short one, and by the time they reached the coffee shop Bill had finally caught his breath. Dipper entered the shop first, eyeing the register for a particular someone. That someone was in fact working today, and Dipper was all smiles as he walked up the to front.

“Hey Wendy,” Dipper greeted lightly, feeling Bill hovering behind him.

 

“Dipper!” she said, a little surprised for a couple of reasons. “You know you’re not working today right?”

 

“Oh yeah, Bill and I were just in the area-”

 

“After being chased by the park security,” Bill butted in.

 

Wendy went through a brief moment of shock, looking at Bill, then back to Dipper, “What?!”

 

“Oh yeah,” Bill continued, now leaning on the counter with a smug look, “There were at _least_ 20 of them or so, all decked to the nines with guns and batons chasing us down for graffiting the playground.”

 

Dipper huffed, “That’s not at all what happened. But we did get chased by park security.”

 

“The guy had some nerve too! Saying that we were a ‘disturbance’ or whatever!”

 

“Well, you did shout the opening to Lion King when you reached the top of the jungle gym.”

 

“How could you not?! That thing was like 20 feet high!”

“More like 10 but sure.”

 

Wendy looked on at the two bantering back and forth, almost mesmerized by what she was seeing. Dipper seemed- no _was_ \- different around Bill; he was louder, more alive and thrilled even. She could see it all over Dipper’s face, the way he was smiling more, the way he was looking at Bill. It was… different. Different than what Wendy had ever seen. It was different hearing Dipper talk about Bill and then to actually see the pair together, talking normally with each other. They’d only known each other for so long and yet, they just clicked. Like it was normal.

 

Or at least a different kind of normal. A different normal.

 

Wendy was so lost in her train of thought that she hadn’t realized that Dipper was talking to her again. “Sorry man, what were you saying?” she asked. “Oh, I was just asking if you could spot us two waters,” Dipper said. The redhead nodded, going off to the refrigerator to pull out the water bottles. Dipper turned back to Bill and told him to sit wherever he wanted. Bill looked about the space. There were a couple people littered here and there, and his eyes zoomed in at a spot along the wall that was occupied with a couple of chairs and a table, right next to what appeared to be a closed closet door. He made his way over there, leaving Dipper to chat with Wendy.

 

Once he was sitting, he watched Dipper from afar, letting his mind wander. _Could I, a crazy loon, have a chance with someone like you?_ His thoughts turned back to his conversation with Tad from earlier. _Maybe not, but what if I did?_ Bill couldn’t help but still be curious about what Tad and Dipper had talked about the other night. _Was Tad pulling my leg?_ So far, today hadn’t really felt like a date. _Totally platonic, right?_ And despite everything, Dipper hadn’t really expressed a huge interest in Bill. _Dipper Pines, what are you thinking about right now?_ Except for last night, when he asked Bill to hang out today. _Again, strictly platonic._ But, and Bill was surprised to admit it, so far today had been absolutely amazing. _I wish I could tell you how you make me feel these things without this fear._ Should he just be upfront and tell him? _Should I go for it?_ What’s the worse that could happen? _Rejection._

 

Dipper setting the waters down on the table startled Bill out of his thoughts, “Here you go! Fresh, cold water.” Bill thanked him, and greedily he opened and chugged the entire bottle in one go. Dipper stared at the moment, momentarily shocked, and watched as Bill twisted the cap back on the bottle. Bill had a prideful smirk on his face, “If you think that’s impressive, you should have seen me in college. I could chug 11 beers in a row.”

 

Dipper’s face scrunched up, “That sounds painful. And gross.”

 

“Oh, it was, but the bets were worth it.”

 

Dipper opened his mouth to say something, but a call over from Wendy came first.

 

“Uh, Dipper, you’ve got company!”

 

Both Dipper and Bill turned their heads to the front of the coffee shop. Passing by the large storefront window were two ladies talking admittedly to each other. Dipper recognized the brunette, while Bill recognized the redhead.

 

“Mabel!”

 

“Ashter!”

 

Dipper and Bill panicked. _What are they doing here?! Together?! If they see us we’ll be in so much deep shit!_ It was only a matter of seconds until Mabel and Ashter would enter the coffee shop, and Dipper whipped his head around, trying to find somewhere to hide. His eyes fell on the closet door beside the table. Without warning, Bill felt himself being picked up by one of Dipper’s arms and suddenly crashing into the young man. Holding onto Bill tightly, chest to chest, Dipper tugged open the closet door and rushed them inside. He shut the door a little too loudly, bracing his body on the door, and Dipper cursed under his breath as the light from outside vanished into the black darkness.

 

It took Dipper approximately 5 seconds to realize the predicament that he was in. The supplies closet was a small one he knew, and it was even smaller due to the cleaning tools they kept in here. In the cramped, dark space, Dipper could feel Bill’s body still close to his own, Dipper’s arm still latched around Bill’s waist tightly. Dipper’s legs were against the door, but one of Bill’s knees were pressed between Dipper’s legs, and the other was directly in line with Dipper’s. Bill’s head was bent so that his forehead was resting on the door, but that also meant he was about an inch away from Dipper’s face, and he could feel Bill’s heavy breath along his neck. It brought about a tingling sensation that traveled down Dipper’s spine, making him shake a little.

 

Bill turned his head just a tad toward Dipper, having felt the man shake. “Are you alright?” he whispered into the darkness, and Dipper could sense Bill bracing his forearms on the door now in attempts to keep himself from falling. Dipper nodded slowly, and he felt Bill exhale deeply.

 

“Is this alright?”

 

Dipper didn’t have an answer for that one, instead shushing Bill quietly, hearing his sister and Ashter talking over the light noise of the coffee shop. Bill listened intently too, but kept the question in the back of his mind to ask again. The trapped pair caught the last bit of their conversation.

 

“Thanks Wendy, it was good seeing you again!”

 

“She sure was nice.”

 

“Oh yeah, Wendy is amazing. She’s like the sister I never had!”

 

Dipper rolled his eyes at the comment, and he heard Bill snickering quietly beside him. From the sound of it, Mabel and Ashter were actually getting closer and closer to the supplies closet.

 

“Funny, what are these doing here?” Mabel asked, and then they heard the sound of water bottles being crushed. _Shit. Their sitting right outside._

 

“But you and Dipper are really close too, right?”

 

“Yup! We always look out for each other, through thick and thin! We share everything and anything.”

 

That hit Dipper hard, and he tensed slightly. There was a brief pause then before Ashter continued.

 

“That’s how me and Bill were too.”

 

It was Bill’s turn to tense up then.

 

“...Have you still not heard from him?”

 

“...No.”

 

Dipper silently glared at Bill. How could he not talk to Ashter at least once this whole time?! How has he not given the girl any peace at mind or anything?!

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault. If anything, it’s probably mine. I was the one who rushed into the whole thing.

  
“Really?”

  
“Yeah...Now that I really look back on it, it didn’t really seem like Bill was happy about it at all. Not as much as I was at least.”

 

“...”

 

Dipper was momentarily confused as to why Mabel wasn’t responding, but then it suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks. _She’s keeping her side of the promise._ He felt horribly guilty, what would Mabel say about him and Bill now?

 

“Enough with the sad talk though, are you ready to go?”

 

“Yup! I was so sure that Dipper would be here, but I guess he took the day off.”

 

“I wonder what he’s up to?”

 

“Probably sleeping. Or singing in the shower, I’ve caught him several times doing that.”

 

Bill huffed out a light laugh, and Dipper used his free hand to hit Bill’s side.

 

Dipper stopped focusing on their conversation as it soon died away with them walking out of the coffee shop. He let out a sigh of relief, resting his head on Bill’s shoulder. “That was close,” he muttered. Bill nodded in agreement. They stayed like that for a couple minutes, gathering their thoughts.

 

“I can’t believe you didn’t talk to her,” Dipper said finally.

 

“I don’t know what to say,” Bill said earnestly.

 

“The truth maybe?”

 

“Yeah, that would be a good place to start actually.”

 

Dipper sighed, “Bill you’re a mess.”

 

Bill smiled, “That’s not something new.”

 

They stood in relative silence, listening to the sound of breathing, reveling in the warm that was being emitted from their bodies. Bill was surprised honestly, he would have thought that Dipper would be eager to get out of the supplies closet but… the young man made no motion to leaving.

 

“Would you mind if I asked you something, Dipper?” Bill whispered. He wondered for a moment if Dipper could feel his heart pounding in his chest, or his nerves for that matter. _I can’t keep freaking out about this though- it’s now or never._

 

“What?”

 

Another beat of silence.

 

“What...do you think of me?”

 

“W-what do I think of you?”

 

Bill nodded, moving his head closer to Dipper’s, nearly nudging the younger man’s ear with his nose.

 

“W-well, I think… I think you’re insane- but the good kind of insane? Like, the fun kind. And, you’ve got a good sense of humor with your weird jokes and… I don’t know. I t-think that you’re honestly just a guy with good intentions… and you were given random, crappy cards to play.” Bill let out a deep breath before saying,

 

“I asked because… I think about you a lot Dipper.”

 

Dipper’s breathing stopped, and he could feel his face becoming flush as he listened to Bill continue.

 

“And the more I think about you the more I start to wonder if you think about me like that too. And then I start to wonder why I can’t seem to get you out of my head. But then I realized why.”

 

“Why?” Dipper breathed.

 

Dipper felt Bill repositioning himself, and in the dark Dipper could tell Bill’s face was hovering in front of his own.

 

“I think… that I might just have a little crush… on you.

 

Because when I think of you… I think about what you’re doing, how you’re feeling, if you’re happy or sad. I think about your work, what you like to do in your spare time, your hobbies. Sometimes I think about whether you like to spend time with me, or Tad, or Will. I wonder about all the things the four of us could do, what we could go see, but then I think about what we would do, just by ourselves, alone. And then I think about what your lips would feel like on mine, how it would feel to hold your hand tight and never let go, how it would feel to hold you at night. How it would feel to take you out on proper dates and just spending time with you.

 

And, I think that amidst the crazy that my life is, I find myself wanting you more and more in it.”

 

Dipper was lost for words, his breathing slow. _This was happening, this is really happening-_

 

“So, I’ll ask this again. Is this alright?”

 

_Is this need for you alright? Do you feel the same as I do?_

 

Without thinking, Dipper closed the space between him and Bill, his hands going to gently grip Bill’s shirt, pulling him in for a kiss. It was tentative, shy even, but sweet and genuine, and Bill wanted nothing more than to be lost in the sensation that was _Dipper Pines_. The little kiss didn’t last long, Dipper breaking it off fairly quickly to spare himself the embarrassment later. Bill exhaled heavily from his nose, resting his forehead on Dipper’s own.

 

“You know, I wasn’t really expecting to confess my feelings to you in a supplies closet.”

 

Dipper chuckled, “It could be worse. We could be back in the den.”

 

“Nothing quite more romantic than Simba trying to tear apart your limbs, huh?”

 

“Quite.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *"What happened?"
> 
> "I had a nightmare."
> 
> "About?"
> 
> "...mom."
> 
>  
> 
> P.S. - don't forget to hit me up on tumblr if ya wanna talk or request a writing prompt! My tumblr is ladyvivion :3


	9. Boyfriend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhhhhh booooooyyyyyy, back again with another fluffy update! Thank you all so much for such lovely comments and the kudos <3 I always love reading y'all's comments, even when I can't get around to replying to all of them. They legit make me day so much better like you wouldn't believe.
> 
> As some of you (or all of you) might have noticed, this is now part of a series! :D I wanted to do a little something more with Runaway Groom, and it only felt right to turn it into a series. And thus, Bachelor Party was born! Bachelor Party ties in with Runaway Groom in that it contains the NSFW side of the story, so if you're interested in that sort of stuff then go check it out! 
> 
> Enjoy reading all of this fluffy goodness!
> 
> -V

Dipper peaked out of the supplies closet, making sure that the coast was clear before stepping back out into the open. He glanced around quickly, seeing that no one was paying them much mind except for… His eyes found Wendy, who was back behind the counter, shooting him a smug look. _What were you two doing in there?_ that look said, and Dipper could feel his face turning red almost immediately. Bill stepped out not a moment later, although hesitantly, and he too looked around quickly.

 

“Looks like we are safe,” he said, nudging Dipper in the side gently. Dipper nodded, glaring at Wendy, who was making suggestive expressions at him. “Maybe we should start heading back?” Dipper suggested.

 

“Sounds like a plan to me, let me go grab another drink really fast though,” Bill said, brushing past Dipper and heading towards the counter, and, much to Dipper’s dismay, Wendy. When Bill reached the front counter, he ordered another water and pulled out his wallet to pay.

 

"Looks like _someone_ is really happy," Wendy commented, propping her elbows up on the counter and resting her head in her hands. Bill looked up at Wendy, "Who?"

 

Wendy paused dramatically before pointing straight at Bill.

 

"What?" he asked, staring at her finger. "Me?"

 

"Yeah! You haven't stopped smiling ever since you... _came out of the closet_."

 

Bill gave her an unimpressed look, "Ha, ha, ha, very funny. But I still have no idea what you're talking about."

 

"Maybe you don't, but he sure does," Wendy said vaguely, looking past Bill's shoulder.

 

Bill slowly turned around, following her line of sight. His eyes found Dipper Pines, waiting on Bill by the table they were previously sitting at. Dipper was playing with his phone, turning it over and over in his hands as he stared at the floor, a movement that seemed to indicate that the young man was feeling troubled. But, when Bill looked at Dipper's face, he saw the way his cheeks were tinted a light shade of pink, the way his lips were curled into a small and genuine smile, the way his deep eyes were brighter. The sight of Dipper, so timid like in his happiness, nearly took Bill's breath away.

 

"Don't let him fool you though," Wendy advised, "He likes it rough."

 

Bill startled, flinching back, and found that Wendy was giving him a mischievous look. "Y-you're kidding right?" he whispered harshly, leaning in close to Wendy with disbelief. "Surely he wouldn't..."

 

Wendy’s grin seemed to become bigger, and Bill’s eyes widened. Without another word, Bill paid for his water and hurried away, hyper aware of the heat pouring into his face now. When Bill made it back, Dipper looked up from the floor, and their eyes found each other's again. "Ready to go?" Bill asked, his voice a little more horse than he would have liked. Dipper nodded, "Did you... just want to go back to Tad's? I don't really know what we could do though..."

 

Suddenly, Bill had an idea, and his own mischievous grin quickly spread across his face.

 

"I know exactly what we should do."

  


**V^**

  


Dipper was panting hard. He was doubled over, hands on his knees, trying to focus on his breathing. He could feel the sweat dripping off of him, off his forehead, his back, his body was incredibly heated. He felt like he had just got done working out, but it's only been maybe 20 minutes and from the looks of this, they weren't going to be stopping any time soon. It wasn't that Dipper was out of shape, quite frankly it was the opposite, but he's never done something like this very much, or at all, in his life. Dipper looked up from his bent over position, finding Bill standing close to him, his hands placed on his hips and breathing deeply with a triumphant look on his face.

 

"How much longer are we going to be doing this?" Dipper managed to say, "I don't know how much more I can take."

 

"The real question to ask is how long am I going to continue to beat you!" Bill grinned wickedly.

 

Dipper groaned, "This isn't fair! How can I beat you when you're so good at this?"

 

"Not all of us can be champions at Dance Central kid, I mastered that art during my college years."

 

Dipper collapsed onto the couch, which he and Bill had pushed back a couple of feet in order to have more room to dance. He watched the winning dancer, Bill's, taunt the loser, Dipper's, on the television screen. Bill continued to hum the song they were just dancing to, Cascada's Evacuate the Dance Floor, as the stats flashed across the screen. "Looks like this will be my 6th consecutive win!" he said with a grin, turning back to look at Dipper. Dipper gave the victor a glare, and Bill laughed aloud at that.

 

“Whatever...next song I’ll definitely beat you,” Dipper promised, getting back on his feet and going to stand next to Bill again. The Kinect registered his body within a couple of seconds, and soon the pair were going through the songs, trying to find one that they both liked.

 

“How about… Get it Shawty?”

 

“Never say shawty again.”

 

“What about Promiscuous?”

 

“No.”

 

“Say Ahh?”

 

“Never liked it.”

 

“Turnin’ Me On?”

 

“...No.”

 

“S&M?”

 

“Bill I swear you’re just stopping at the songs with suggestive titles.”

 

“No I’m not! What about Lapdance?”

 

“Bill, no.”

 

“Ha, okay, that one was on purpose. What if we did...Call Me Maybe?”

 

“Didn’t we do that one already?”

 

“Oh, yeah you’re right. Okay maybe...Beauty and a Beat?”

 

“Ehh…”

 

“That’s a no. What about Darude Sand-”

 

“Hell no!”

 

“Same actually, okay now we have- nope, not a good song.”

 

“What? I like that song!”

 

“Nope! Now it’s...oh my god Dipper please we have to do this one!”

 

“Hollaback Girl?”

 

“If you say you did not jam out to this when it came out then you are a liar!”

 

“...alright.”

 

The pair high-fived, and soon the dance battle was initiated. Dipper gave it his all, but in the final stretch, Bill managed to surpass him in points, keeping his reign of Dance Central Champion. They continued to play the game for an hour, with Dipper finally winning one of the matches, however Bill had won the rest. The pair were now collapsed on the couch, breathing heavy but with wide grins on their faces. “I swear… one of these days… I will get better at dancing,” Dipper vowed in between breaths.

 

“I’d like to see you try,” Bill taunted humorously, playfully slapping Dipper on the shoulder. Dipper lolled his head back to look up at the ceiling, and Bill rested his head in his hands. He sneakily peered between his fingers, peeking at Dipper resting beside him. Bill took in the sight, the way Dipper’s chest rose and fell with his breathing, his face and neck tinted red. _I wonder if that’s what he looks like when…_ Bill shook the offending thought out of his head. It was best if he didn’t like that right now, even if Dipper was now his-

 

“Boyfriend.”

 

Bill startled, sitting up straight and looking at Dipper fully now, “What?”

 

Dipper’s eyes found Bill’s face, and he pointed to the screen, “The next song, Boyfriend.”

 

Bill faced the screen and, much to his surprise, Justin Bieber’s face and song was the next suggested song to dance to. Bill huffed out a little laugh, catching Dipper off guard. “I thought you were talking about something else,” Bill said, running a hand through his hair.

 

“About what?” Dipper asked him.

 

Bill gave him a look, in which Dipper returned with a confused one. And then suddenly Dipper understood what Bill meant, and Bill could laugh at the way Dipper’s face flushed even more if he didn’t think it was so adorable.

 

Bill maneuvered himself so that he was sitting sideways on the couch, one leg tucked under himself and the other dangling off. Gently, he grabbed one of Dipper’s wrists and tugged at his arm, silently beckoning the young man to come closer. And Dipper did, slowly sitting up and scooting over to Bill, managing to sit cross legged. They faced each other head on, but at the moment Bill was more fixated on Dipper’s hand. He traced little lines down Dipper’s fingers, drawing small, invisible designs, stopping whenever Dipper flexed his fingers. Then, Bill grabbed Dipper’s other hand as well. Bill held onto Dipper’s hands as they laid palms up in his own. Dipper found Bill’s actions to be very child-like, and in a way it reminded him of Will.

 

“Are you sure this is okay?” Bill asked in a low voice, feeling extremely unsure in himself at that moment.

 

Dipper sighed, the sound causing Bill to brace himself for brutal impact. _He’s going to say it isn’t okay, that it was all just a spur of the moment thing. He’s probably going to get up and leave and never see me or Will or Tad ever again, probably will say this is all a mistake and isn’t worth it-_

 

“This is probably a mistake,” Dipper started. Bill felt his heart clench at the words.

 

_His heart?_

 

“And this will probably end badly too if something goes wrong,” he continued, looking down at his hands being held by Bill. “But…”

 

Bill’s eyes shot up to Dipper’s face, and he was taken aback for a moment. There was a fondness in Dipper’s eyes that Bill couldn’t explain, and there was a small, warm smile forming from his lips.

 

“I think it’s something that we can handle. Together."

 

Bill looked at Dipper in disbelief. _He wasn’t leaving. He was staying, staying with_ him. _Dipper was going to stay._ Bill was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t realize Dipper grabbing his hands and pulling him until he was kneeling on the couch now and falling forward slowly. Dipper caught Bill, wrapping gentle arms around the older man’s waist. Dipper fell backwards onto the couch, lying down with Bill now resting on top of him. There was only a brief pause, a brief moment where they were wholly focused on each other, before Bill dipped his head down to capture Dipper’s lips with his own. The kiss reminded Bill of the one from earlier, how it was so soft and warm and shy, everything about it screamed Dipper Pines. They laid there together, just like that, slowly kissing and holding each other in a warm embrace, forgetful of the outside world.

 

“But there’s still a lot we need to figure out,” Dipper murmured in between kisses, slowly bringing them back to the real world. After the last kiss, Bill let out a sigh and laid his head down on Dipper’s shoulder, his nose just barely nudging Dipper’s neck.

 

“I know,” Bill said, tracing his little invisible designs on Dipper’s arm now.

 

“You need to talk to her,” Dipper told him. “This will only work if you talk to her.”

 

Bill said nothing, merely silently agreeing instead of using words. He needed to talk to Ashter, he’s been meaning to for the longest time now but… This wasn’t the type of situation Bill could just joke his way out of, and now that Dipper was officially in the picture it made things a hell of a lot more complicated.

 

“What if we just run away,” Bill thought aloud, “Take Will with us and just move somewhere far, far away.”

 

“Then you wouldn’t be fixing the problem. You’d just be running away from it.”

 

“My point exactly.”

 

“You've already run away once. You can't do that again.”

 

“...yeah, I know.”

 

That was when Bill’s phone suddenly rang from the dining table. Bill jolted up off Dipper, his senses coming back to him as he recognized the alarm coming from his phone. “We have to go get Will,” Bill said, leaping off the couch and heading to his ringing phone. Dipper sat up on the couch with a confused look, “Go get Will? Do you mean from his school?”

 

“No, from his bus stop,” Bill answered, shoving the silenced phone in his back pocket. “C’mon, he’ll be glad to see you again!” Bill grabbed Dipper’s hand and helped him off the couch, and soon they were heading out the door. They walked calmly, hand in hand, with Bill leading the way. They talked about this and that along the way, though it was mostly Dipper asking questions and Bill answering them.

 

“What does Tad do for a living?”

 

“He’s in between jobs right now, but I’m pretty sure he’s working at a law firm.”

 

“What about you?”

 

“Me? I’m the stay at home husband of course! I’ve had a couple odd jobs here and there, but none of them really stuck in the end.”

 

“What did you major him?”

 

“Business, though that one wasn’t by choice, and Theater.”

 

“Ah, so that’s where you get your big personality from.”

 

“Nah, that’s just because I’m crazy. What about you though, Mr Hot Shot? Did you major in Neuroscience or something?”

 

“Uh, I was an English major actually. I focused mostly on Creative Writing though.”

 

“I can see that.”

 

“Does Will know what he wants to do when he’s older?”

 

“Well, asides from being cool like his big bro, for a while he wanted to be a marine biologist but… some stuff happened, and now I’m not exactly sure really.”

 

“Oh, what happened?”

 

“Ah, it’s a long story really. I’ll tell you about it one day.”

 

“A-alright.”

 

Soon the pair found themselves standing at the corner of the block, waiting next to a stop sign. Within a matter of minutes, Bill spotted Will’s school bus coming down the street. Bill couldn’t help but smile as the bus came to a stop in front of them and the doors opening to reveal the small curly blonde bundling out, his oversized backpack securely held in his hands. Bill already knew that Will would go to Dipper, so instead of having Will carry his backpack, Bill pulled it out of his hands and slung in on.

 

“Pinetree!” Will said excitedly, giving Dipper a warm hug. Dipper looked at Bill, confused by the odd nickname, but Bill only shrugged. He returned the hug, “Good to see you too Will! But who is Pinetree?”

 

“You!” Will said matter of factly, pointing at Dipper.

 

Dipper pointed at himself, “Me?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Why am I Pinetree?”

 

“Because-” Will pulled out a folded up piece of paper from his pocket, unfolding it carefully. He showed Dipper the piece of paper first. It was a hand drawn picture of a tall tree in crayon, and just below the picture was Dipper’s name written out in black. The tree almost looked liked like a Christmas tree, save for the star or ornaments, and it extended to the full length of the page.

 

“We had to draw something that reminded us of a friend,” Will explained happily.

 

“And so you drew me as a pine tree?” Dipper asked, holding the paper in his hands delicately.

 

Will nodded, “Our teacher told us that there’s a lot of pine trees around the playground, and they’re all really tall and strong! And since they surround the entire playground it’s like they’re protecting us when we go outside for recess. So, I decided to draw a pine tree for you!”

 

Dipper was too surprised for words. There in his hands was a simple drawing, and yet it was so much more than that. He looked at Will, who was positively beaming, melting Dipper’s heart.

 

“Do you mind if I call you Pinetree?” Will asked Dipper earnestly.

 

“I don’t mind at all,” Dipper smiled, and Will returned with a broad grin.

 

Bill ruffled Will’s hair playfully, “I’m offended you didn’t draw your big, strong older brother!”

 

“Oh, don’t worry, I drew you and Tad too!” And without fail, Will pulled out two more pieces of paper, one that had a drawing of a house and another that had a sun. “Tad’s is the house because he’s always there and secure, and Bill yours is the sun because you’re big and bright and you light up the daytime for everyone!”

 

Bill wouldn’t admit it, but there were tears swelling up in his eyes as he picked up the younger boy and swung him about in a tight hug, Will laughing loudly and Dipper looking on with a fond smile. Bill held onto him the entire way back, and the trio talked animatedly about their day so far. Bill recounted their plight with the park security and epic dance battle, while Will talked about his classmates and teacher and his homework. They reached the house in no time, and after they all got inside, Bill ushered Will to the dining table so they could start on his homework. Dipper too joined the pair at the dining table, watching on quietly as they went through Will’s homework.

 

Usually it was just Bill and Will home alone, but now with the added guest they were distracted with, they were less focused than they normally were. For Dipper though, it was interesting to watch the two brothers together like this, Bill helping Will with different things when he needed it. Just like both Tad and Bill had told him, Will was incredibly smart for his age, and he was able to get almost all of his homework done on his own. He read and solved problems with ease, and whenever Dipper looked at Bill, he saw how proud the older man was of his brother. How they were with each other reminded Dipper of Mabel and himself, especially when they were younger.

 

At some point in the day, Tad had come home from work. He was pleasantly surprised to find Dipper still there, and even more so in finding him with Bill and Will finishing up the rest of Will’s homework. “Long time no see, Dipper,” Tad jokingly greeted as he set his coat on the back of an open chair. Dipper gave him a little wave in greeting, and Bill asked with an amused look, “How was work, House?”

 

“House?” Tad repeated, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

 

Will grinned, and soon his three drawings were out on the table for Tad to see. Tad took his time examining the pieces as he listened to Will explain why he chose what he did. When Will was talking about Dipper’s picture, Tad couldn’t help but look up at the young man sitting alongside the brothers. Dipper was watching Will talk with a soft expression on his face, one that was comparable to how Bill looked at Will sometimes. Then Tad looked to Bill, and the man’s eyes were trained on Dipper, his elbow propped up on the table and his chin resting in his hand.

 

 _It’s funny how much Dipper has wedged himself into our lives in such a short amount of time_ Tad thought with amusement. _It kind of makes me wonder if he’s the one who is here to stay._

 

When Will finished his homework, Tad asked if Dipper was planning on staying for dinner. “Uh, I wasn’t planning on staying this long really but,” Dipper trailed off, his eyes finding the pleading ones of Will and Bill. “I can probably stay.” The brothers cheered, and Tad smiled at the scene.

 

The next couple of hours were filled with Dipper playing with Will in the living room while Tad and Bill hung back in the kitchen talking with one another before they got started cooking. “So,” Tad began with a sidelong glance, “How are things between you and your boyfriend?”

 

“Hm? Oh, me and Dipper are good-” Bill stopped midway through his sentence. Slowly, he turned his full attention to Tad, “Wait. I never said anything about Dipper and I dating.”

 

Tad grinned, “I know.” Suddenly he clapped Bill on the back so hard that the man fell forward a bit. The sound of it was so loud that even Will and Dipper looked up momentarily before going back to whatever they were doing.

 

“Christ Tad, could you hit me any harder?” Bill gritted through his teeth, holding his shoulder as it pulsed in pain.

 

“Yes. But that’s my way of telling you congratulations,” Tad said smugly.

 

“Yeah, I know. It’s awful.”

 

“Have you told Will yet?”

 

“...No, not yet. I probably will tomorrow though.”

 

Tad nodded, “Well, we might as well start on dinner then.” Bill agreed, setting out to go grab an apron. Tad ended up doing most of the cooking, mostly because Bill was a little too distracted by a certain someone in their household now.

  


**V^**

 

“Stay for the night.”

 

“W-what?”

 

“I mean-” Bill said awkwardly, “Only- only if you want to, I mean.”

 

The pair were currently washing the last of the dishes in the kitchen. Will had been tucked into bed already, and Tad tasked them to clean the dishes before Dipper headed out.

 

“I - I have to work tomorrow-”

 

“Oh.”

 

“B-but not until the afternoon…”

 

“Oh… so is that a yes?”

 

“Y-yes…”

 

They stared at each other for the longest time, only really snapping out of it when Bill realized that the sink was about to overflow. Bill let out a shrill squeak as water splashed onto his clothes, causing Dipper to burst out laughing. Bill sent a glare to Dipper, and suddenly he splashed the water at Dipper, drenching his shirt completely. Soon, an all out water war began, Dipper managing to aim the movable faucet at Bill and Bill scooping up water at tossing it at Dipper. By the time they were a laughing, breathless mess, they both were soaked to the bone.

 

“I guess we should probably go get changed?” Bill laughed, turning off the water. Dipper nodded, and he let himself be lead out of the kitchen and to Bill’s bedroom. Bill flipped on the switch, and light flooded into the room. Dipper waited beside the door as BIll rummaged through his drawer, trying to find some clothes that would fit Dipper. He pulled out his biggest t-shirt and a pair of shorts, tossing them to Dipper, “You can change in the bathroom if you want.” Dipper nodded, saying thank you to Bill before stepping back out into the hallway and slipping into the bathroom. He changed his clothes quickly, eager to get back to Bill, and set his damp clothes on the side of the bathtub.

 

When Dipper made it back to Bill’s room, he found that the bright light had been replaced with the soft, white light of the lamp sitting on the nightstand. Bill had changed already into clothes similar to Dipper’s and was flopped face down on his bed. Dipper chuckled at the sight, shutting the bedroom door behind him and going over to the bed. He reached the foot of the bed and climbed on, crawling to the space next to Bill before laying down as well. His whole body faced Bill’s, and he watched as Bill peaked up at him, noting the light pink that stretched across his cheeks. Bill rolled over then, reaching out a hand to turn off the lamp. The room plunged into darkness, and Dipper automatically felt like he was back in the supplies closet at work.

 

Bill shuffled as close to Dipper as he possibly could without touching him. Should he hold Dipper? Or should they face opposite directions? How did Dipper even sleep at night? Would he be comfortable if-

 

Bill let out a sharp exhale as Dipper suddenly closed the gap between them, pressing Bill backwards so that he was laying on his back. He pulled up the covers so that they were partially over their bodies. Dipper swung a leg over Bill’s and an arm over Bill’s torso, and rested his head on Bill’s shoulder. Their position sort of mimicked the one they were in earlier when they were laying on the couch together. With only the briefest of hesitations, Bill wrapped his arm around Dipper’s body, keeping the man close to his side. “Goodnight,” he mumbled into Dipper’s hair, pressing a kiss there so lightly that he wondered if Dipper even felt it. Dipper hummed quietly, hugging Bill’s body tighter, “Goodnight.”

 

Finally, Bill’s eyes closed shut, and he allowed himself to dream freely about Dipper Pines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so begins the notorious nickname of Pinetree by none other than... Will!


	10. Conflictions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! I meant to update this on Sunday, but life kinda kicked me in the face a little bit, but here it is! This chapter is probably the most angst filled one out of all of the chapters? But it's all gooooood~ 
> 
> Also, I have planned out the entire course of events for this story, and holy shit y'all. This story is going to be freakin' long. Like, hella long, I'm talking about roughly 30 chapters or so. Like what?! Buckle up kiddos, this is gonna be one hell of a ride! 
> 
> Enjoy reading lovelies :)
> 
> -V
> 
> P.S. This story was heavily inspired by the song "Close" by Nick Jonas feat. Tove Lo

**2:39 A.M.**

 

Dipper slowly blinked his eyes open. He was vaguely aware of the hard pressure beneath his body, but his was less aware of where he actually was. He sat up gently, his muscles tense and sore, as if he were sleeping on the… Dipper pressed his hand down beside him, coming into contact with the wooden floor. _How did I end up on the floor?_ He looked over to the bed, and his question was answered immediately. Bill, snoring lightly, went completely starfish in the bed, his gangly limbs hanging off the bed and the covers spilling out onto the floor. His hair was an absolute mess and his clothes were all askew, and Dipper couldn’t help the quiet chuckle that escaped him.

 

Dipper, as silently as he could, rose up into a kneeling position next to the bed. He laid his forearms on the mattress and rested his head in his hands, tired eyes watching Bill sleep soundly. _He sure does look peaceful when he sleeps_ Dipper noted to himself, his eyes trailing over Bill’s features.

 

_So, I’ll ask this again. Is this alright? Are you sure this is okay?_

 

Bill’s words still rung in his ears, repeating themselves over and over and over again, and Dipper couldn’t get them out of his head. It was worrying, extremely so, because the more he thought about it the more it seemed like a bad idea to be with Bill, to be this _close_ . He thought of Mabel, how she would react if she found out, wondered if she wouldn’t speak to him for a long time, if she would somehow blame him and accuse him of getting so _close_ . And he thought about Ashter, how she felt about everything, if she would understand or be upset even more, what she would think about Bill now being happy now that he had Dipper _close_. Dipper was afraid. Afraid of his relationship changing with Mabel, the guilt he will surely feel with Ashter…

 

...but most of all, he was afraid of being _close_ with Bill.

 

He’s never been in a relationship like this before. Dipper was fine with being alone, being safe, being normal. It was what he was used to. Mabel was always there for him of course, but her care only went so far for Dipper, and there had to come a time when Dipper had to stop relying on his sister so much and let her live too. It was hard, but Dipper managed, found things to do for himself, figured out how to live safely. And it was nice. Calm. Slow. Just how he imagined a life of being alone, being safe, being normal.

 

But then enter Bill, the dashing and charming runaway groom who snuck into the back of Dipper’s car and into his heart. And that’s made him afraid. He was afraid of how easy it was to be with Bill, to get lost with him and forget the troubles of the outside world. He was afraid of how much he longed for it, how much he loved being with Bill and Will and Tad, how it brightened his day seeing them. He was afraid of how he wanted to think about Bill, wanted to be in his life, his future. He was afraid of just how quickly he fell, how fast he gave himself away to another.

 

And he was afraid of being _close_ with Bill because he was afraid of him suddenly running away.

 

_He didn’t want to be in Ashter’s position._

 

_He didn’t want to be left at the altar like that._

 

_He didn’t want to be alone again._

 

Dipper shut his eyes tight. He didn’t want to open his eyes and see how _close_ he was to Bill.

 

The sound of a door creaking open brought Dipper back to his senses. He raised his head and looked over to the bedroom door. “Will?” Dipper breathed out.

 

The young boy was peeking into the bedroom, wrapped in his blankets and his hair wild. Will startled, surprised to find Dipper awake, and went to close the door. Dipper got up quickly and went over to the door, pulling it open and stepping out into the hallway. He caught a glimpse of Will’s blanket trail going off into the kitchen before it disappeared from sight. Dipper followed Will to the kitchen, and stopped short when he saw Will huddled on the ground, covered completely in his blanket.  He could see the little bundle shivering a bit.

 

Dipper cautiously made his way over to Will, sitting down beside the blanket bundle. He sat there for a moment, unsure of what to say, when Will peaked his head out from the blanket. Will blinked his weary eyes, and Dipper could tell that the young boy had been crying.

 

“Pinetree?” Will asked, as if Dipper actually wasn’t there, his voice barely above a whisper.

 

Dipper gave Will a little smile. There was another beat of silence. Then, Dipper watched as Will scooted closer to him, resting his head on Dipper’s arm, still covered in the blanket. “What’s the matter, Will?” Dipper asked him, bending his head closer to Will’s. The young boy didn’t respond immediately, instead just snuggling closer to Dipper. The two sat there comfortably, listening to the sounds of nightlife coming from outside. Dipper’s eyes strayed down to Will.

 

_So, I’ll ask this again. Is this alright? Are you sure this is okay?_

 

Memories of the first time Dipper saw Will flashed before his eyes. How shy and timid the boy seemed as he carried the rings down the aisle, getting flowers in his hair. It honestly wasn’t all too long ago, but to Dipper it seemed like ages. Now that he looked at the boy, he doesn’t seem all that shy to Dipper. He was as much of a bundle of energy that Bill was, wise beyond his years and incredibly bright.  Dipper was surprised at just how _close_ he had become with Will now. Every time he sees Will, Dipper’s mood lifts significantly, and Will is always so eager to be _close_ to Dipper and have fun with him. It was like Dipper wasn’t in his mid twenties anymore, and he was just a little kid again, doing what little kids do and having fun. Dipper wrapped a comforting arm around Will’s form, and he could feel Will’s shivers lessen.

 

“Do you ever have nightmares?” Will mumbled the question to Dipper.

 

“Sometimes yeah,” Dipper answered honestly. “But whenever I wake up I forget what they are about.”

 

Will hummed, “I always have the same one over and over.”

 

Dipper was hesitant to ask what Will’s nightmares were about, but in the end he didn’t need to.

 

“It’s always about her,” Will murmured.

 

“Her?”

 

Another beat of silence.

 

“Mom.”

 

“Oh…”

 

Dipper felt Will shift under his arm, and soon the boy was laying down beside him, his head resting on Dipper’s thigh. Dipper rested his hand on Will’s head, ruffling his hair lightly. “What happens in your nightmares?” Dipper asked slowly, working at the tangles in Will’s curly hair.

 

“It starts with me, Bill, and mom at the beach,” Will began softly. “We’re on a boat and she’s sailing us somewhere. But… the weather suddenly turns bad and it starts to rain… There’s a lot of thunder and lightning too. Mom’s trying to get us back to the shoreline but…”

 

Dipper hears Will’s breath shudder.

 

“She… she turns the boat too much and… the boat tips over and… we all fall into the water. Everything is always blurry after that but I can always hear screaming and shouting and thunder, and if I don’t wake up I’ll drown just like…”

 

“Just like…?” Dipper breathed.

 

“...like mom did.”

 

Dipper stops breathing. His hand stops moving in Will’s hair.

 

_…I’ll drown just like mom did…_

 

Suddenly a sob wracks through Will, and the young boy starts crying. Dipper does the only thing he could think of. He picks up Will gently, holding the boy _close_ to his chest, letting him cry silently. Dipper rocks Will back and forth slowly in his arms, resting his head on Will’s.

 

Dipper doesn’t remember exactly when Will stops crying, or when he stands and takes Will back to his bedroom. He doesn’t remember setting Will down in his bed, or Will asking Dipper to stay. He doesn’t remember climbing into the bed with Will, the small conversation they had before Will drifted off to sleep finally. Dipper doesn’t remember when he fell asleep as well.

 

But, Dipper remembers Will thanking him. He remembers Will holding onto Dipper’s arm as he slept, refusing to let go. He remembers Will keeping him _close_ , close enough to keep his own fears and nightmares at bay for the rest of the night. He remembers the way he felt in that moment: worried, protective, tired, but most of all, attached - attached and afraid.

 

_Is this what it feels like to be close? To be concerned about someone so much that you go out of your way to help them? To want to be there for them? To want to be with them?_

 

Dipper remembers those thoughts filling his head as he too drifted off to sleep, but the very last thought that he had was the one he doesn’t remember in the morning.

 

_Does Bill feel like this too?_

  


 

**V^**

  


 

Tad wakes up early that morning, earlier than he usually does. He sits up slowly from his bed, letting the covers fall off of him. He feels around for his phone, finding it tucked under his pillow, and it pulls it out to check the time.

 

**5:49 A.M.**

 

He sighs, tossing the phone back onto the bed. _Might as well get ready for the day_ he decides, taking his time getting out of bed and getting dressed. Within a few short minutes he’s walking out of his room and shuffling down the hallway to Bill’s room. He peers inside briefly, finding that Bill was still asleep. Tad was confused for a moment though, he was wholly sure that Dipper ended up staying here last night. His attention turned to the living room, but when he got there Dipper wasn’t in sight at all. The only other place would have to be…

 

Tad’s eyes widened a fraction, and he quickly made his way to Will’s room. As silently as he could, he opened the bedroom door and stuck his head inside. The room was tidy as ever, save for a couple of toy trucks on the ground. His eyes traveled over to Will’s bed, and the sight he saw nearly caused him to fall over in surprise. There was Dipper, sleeping soundly in the bed. He had one arm slung protectively over Will, who was curled into Dipper’s side with one tiny hand latched onto Dipper’s shirt. Tad was used to finding Bill sleeping with Will, but that was generally after Will having a nightmare and… as far as he could remember, Will had never gone to Tad about his nightmares, only Bill. And yet there was Dipper, holding onto Will, the pair sleeping side by side.

 

_Had Will gone to Dipper instead of Bill…?_

 

And that’s what surprised Tad the most. Tad was surprised at just how _close_ they had gotten in such a short amount of time. It was astounding really. Tad had never seen Will become so attached to someone so fast, and he knew Bill would say the same. He heard someone stirring from the bed, and Tad snapped to attention to see Dipper blinking open tired eyes. He used his free hand to rub his eyes, then he looked down at Will’s sleeping form. Tad stared in disbelief as he watched a smile fall onto Dipper’s face, his hand going to gently smooth down the wild strands of blonde curls atop Will’s head. Tad slipped back out into the hallway, not shutting the door all the way for fear of making too much noise.

 

_Why did he feel like he had been intruding in on something?_

 

He shook his head. _He hadn’t been intruding...right?_

 

“What the hell are you doing?”

 

Tad freaked, spinning around so fast that he nearly crashed into Bill, who was only standing a couple of inches away from him. Bill grabbed Tad’s forearms to stop him from falling over.

 

“Jesus Bill!” Tad gasped, grabbing his chest. “Don’t scare me like that!”

 

“I thought you heard me.”

 

“Well I obviously didn’t!”

 

“Obviously. What are you doing though?”

 

“I-” Tad hesitated. _Why am I hesitating?_ “N-nothing! Just checking on Will!”

 

Bill raised an eyebrow, “Why? Is something the matter? Did he have another nightmare again?”

 

“N-No! He’s totally fine!” Which wasn’t a total lie, but Tad still felt like he was lying, and he wasn’t really sure why. _Why am I freaking out about this?_

 

“If you say so,” Bill said, eyeing Tad. “Is Dipper by any chance still here?”

 

“He’s… uh… I don’t know?” Tad said lamely. Bill gave him a strange look, moving past him to go look for Dipper. Tad watched him go away, internally freaking out. _What the hell is wrong with me right now?_ Tad asked himself, bracing one of his arms on the wall. Was he… afraid right now? Is that why he was freaking out? _What exactly am I afraid of though?_ Tad shut his eyes tight, and immediately the image of Dipper holding Will came to mind.

 

His eyes flew open. _Am I afraid of how_ close _Dipper is becoming with Will?_ He thought about it for a moment, suddenly the idea making more and more sense. It wasn’t that Tad was worried about Dipper himself, or Will for that matter. It was Bill he was worried about. As much as he loved his friend, Bill had a habit of getting himself into sticky situations, such as accidentally getting engaged to someone he doesn’t even like, and one of Bill’s “solutions” to those situations is basically up and leaving it without a second thought. It was irritating to deal with the aftermath whenever Bill did that, with the recent wedding mishap being the worst of them all. However…

 

This would probably top even that. If something were to happen between Dipper and Bill, Tad knew that he himself could live on, and after a long while Bill would to but...Will on the other hand would have the hardest time with it all. That was never much of an issue with Ashter, Will had barely talked to her, let alone see her but Dipper... Dipper on the other hand was something else entirely to Will. Will let Dipper into his life so quickly and trusted him so easily. They were so _close_ now and if Dipper would be removed from the picture, it would be the equivalent to Will losing someone as important as his own mother again. 

 

Tad took in a shaky breath. _Let’s just hope that that doesn’t happen._ The sound of a door opening brought Tad out of his worries, and he looked over to find Dipper stepping out of Will’s room. They locked eyes for the briefest of moments, and Tad could see the worry that was written over Dipper’s face. An odd thought suddenly struck him then. 

 

_Was Dipper worried about the same thing? About how_ close  _he’s becoming to all of us now?_

 

“Good morning Dipper,” Tad said then, trying to keep his composure, “Did you sleep well?”

 

_Did you help Will go back to sleep?_

 

Dipper blinked, nodding shortly after, “I slept alright, thank you.”

 

_I did._

 

Tad smiled, “I’m glad to hear it.”

 

_Thank you._

 

“O-of course.”

 

_I’d do anything for him._

 

“Bill is looking for you by the way, he’s in the living room.”

 

_He thought you left in the middle of the night._

 

Dipper’s eyes widened, as if he’d completely forgot about Bill, and he uttered a quick thanks before heading off down the hallway. Tad watched him go, still slightly bewildered. Once Dipper was out of sight, Tad took a chance and looked back into Will’s bedroom. Will was still sleeping, unaware of Dipper having left his bed. Tad’s heart clenched in his chest though when he saw how the blankets were pulled over Will, the sides tucked in under his body, and a pillow placed under his head.

 

 _He’s in so deep_ Tad thought solemnly, leaning against the door frame. _God I hope he stays for good._

  


 

**V^**

  


 

“Dipper.”

 

“Dipper.”

 

“Earth to Dipper, come in!”

 

“Dipper!”

 

Dipper started when someone hit him on his arm, quickly coming back to the real world. He looked around, finding that the coffee shop was mostly empty now, save for a couple of patrons on their laptops typing away. Someone hit him on the arm again, and he looked over to see Wendy holding a plastic coffee cup. “Look alive, your shift isn’t over for another couple hours!” Wendy told him, hitting him again on the arm with the cup.

 

Dipper attempted to grab the cup from her, but she held it out of his reach. He sighed, resting his face in his hands, “Sorry I keep zoning out Wendy. I think I’m just kind of out of it right now.”

 

“More like since this afternoon,” she said matter of factly, putting the cup back onto its stack. “What’s up man? Did something happen last night?”

 

Dipper sighed again, “No. Well, not really, some stuff sort of happened but-”

 

“Like butt stuff or-?”

 

Dipper startled, his face turning red, “Wendy! No! Oh my god! Nothing like that at all!”

 

“Then what happened?”

 

“It’s just - I don’t know - I think I just freaked myself out.”

 

“Freaked yourself out how?”

 

“Like- I was overthinking things and just… I… Do you think it’s a bad idea?”

 

Wendy stood up a little straighter at the change in topic, “As in, being with Bill?”

 

“Yes,” Dipper sunk to the floor and sat down behind the register. “I noticed how quickly I was getting attached  to him and Will and Tad. I’m afraid that he’s just going to up and leave at some point like he did with Ashter and just… it makes me so worried just thinking about it.”

 

Wendy looked down at her friend with a worried expression, “Do you think it’s a bad idea?”

 

“I don’t know, that’s why I asked you.”

 

“Well, my opinion doesn’t really count in this man. This is between you and Bill all the way. Did you talk to him about it?”

 

“No, I thought about doing that before I left but I was too scared.”

 

“Maybe what you need to do,” Wendy said as she knelt down to Dipper’s level, “Is give it some time. Like, a couple days or weeks. See how things pan out. If you’re still worrying about it then go talk to Bill, but for now let it rest.”

 

Dipper nodded slowly, letting her words sink in. Maybe he was just overreacting about it all and just psyched himself out. Maybe he should just wait a little bit and see what happens. He gave Wendy a little smile, “Thanks for talking with me about this.”

 

Wendy gave him her signature wicked grin and playfully punched him in the shoulder, “Of course man! Now c’mon, rush hour is about to kick in!” She helped him to his feet and they both went back to their stations, awaiting the next round of customers to come in. Dipper did his best to push the negative thoughts aside, but he couldn’t help but worry still. He wanted desperately to answer those questions,

 

_Is this alright? Are you sure this is okay?_

 

but right now Dipper just didn’t have the right answers, no matter how much he said he did.


	11. Text Messages

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know that feeling when you really want to do something but you can't because things keep popping up and you just can't catch a break? 
> 
> Yeah, that's been me this entire week and last weekend. Which is also why this chapter may seem a little on the shorter side and also late. It stinks though because I thought my schedule would let up a little bit, but turns out that it's just going to be hectic from here on out and I just can't even honestly. ( ；´Д｀)
> 
> I'll try to update as much as I can whenever I'm able to because I honestly love writing this and I love reading your comments and you all are just great, lovely people, like truly you are and it's an amazing feeling to write for such awesome readers <3
> 
> Enjoy reading!
> 
> -V

Bill waited three and a half days to “send” the first text message.

 

On the first day, he sat at the dining table after taking Will to his bus stop, staring at Dipper’s number in his phone for a while. He began to type out several different first texts, ones that were all similarly normal, just simple “Hey”s or “Hello”s or “How are you”s, but he would always delete the message in the end. Of course Bill wanted to make a good first text impression for his boyfriend, but using such normal greetings felt a little weird.

 

On the second day, Bill ditched his phone for a pen and paper after dropping off Will, and he sat on the floor of the kitchen. He wrote down all of the quirky greetings he could think of, such as “Howdy” or “Wassup” or “What’s up doc?”. He ended up filling both sides of the paper, but to no avail. Each greeting soon became almost too quirky, and Bill decided against trying to force himself to be like that. The piece of paper was crushed into a ball and tossed into the trash.

 

On the third day, Bill went back to his phone once more after he came back to the house. He stared at the bright screen, and for a brief moment wondered if he would go blind if he stared at it for any more longer. He sighed, turning off the phone and resting his forehead against the dining table. _What would be something Dipper would appreciate?_ he asked himself. _What would make him laugh?_ And then he started to think about Dipper smiling, Dipper laughing, Dipper being happy, and Bill ended up getting a little… sidetracked due to his daydreaming.

 

On the half day, Bill was sitting with Will at the dining table, Will eating a bowl of cereal and Bill staring, once again, at his phone. Bill decided to go with a more natural greeting - with the obvious choice being to use a pick up line. He was looking at the one he just typed out, contemplating the possible outcomes. Will was looking at him with a confused expression on his face, munching away at his Captain Crunch, “What are you doing?”

 

“*No hables cuando tienes comida en la boca,” Bill said without looking up from his phone.

 

Will finished chewing the rest of his cereal, putting the spoon in the bowl and pushing it to the side. He did his best to peek at the phone screen from where he sat, “Are you talking to someone?”

 

“No,” was all Bill replied with, albeit a little too quickly.

 

“Are you talking to Pinetree?”

 

Bill finally looked up from his phone, giving Will the stink eye, “Maybe.”

 

And before Bill could even realize it, Will had reached over the table and attempted to grab the phone, and, in the process of Bill trying to get it out of Will’s reach, accidentally sent the text message to Dipper.

 

Bill, completely horrified, dropped the phone.

 

Will, still slightly confused, watched his brother slump over the table, his forehead connecting with a soft thud sound.

 

Tad, who was standing in the kitchen and who also knew of Bill’s three day message plight, laughed so hard he almost dropped his coffee.

 

And Dipper, who was just waking up from his night of sleep, heard his phone go off on the nightstand, and with bleary eyes and tired limbs he reached over, grabbed the phone, and read the new text message:

 

**McDreamy: hey gud lookin, is ur dad a baker bcuz u got sum nice bunz ;)**

 

Dipper stared long and hard at the message, his brain not functioning enough to comprehend what it said, then tossed it back onto the nightstand and laid back down.

 

Tad went on his way to work, telling Will to have a good day and Bill to not sleep all day.

 

Will went to get ready for school, collecting up his backpack and homework.

 

And Bill, who was still slumped over the table, only moved when his younger brother prodded him to get up and walk him to the bus stop.

 

Bill ended up leaving the phone on the table, not wanting to look at how badly he screwed up his first text to Dipper, not wanting to see how negatively Dipper would respond to it. Even when he dropped Will off and got back home, he didn’t dare go near the table, avoiding his phone like the plague. He did the dishes, the laundry, cleaned the bathroom, the living room, his room, and even picked up Will’s room before he went over to the dining table. The phone was still flipped onto it’s face from when he had dropped it earlier. He waited and stared, as if he were waiting for it to move.

 

Suddenly the phone buzzed.

 

Bill jumped back about five feet.

 

He clutched the fabric of his shirt, his breath heavy and his heart beating rapidly, and he just _stared_. He stared for so long that the phone buzzed again, and again he jumped back. When the phone buzzed for a third time, Bill finally snapped out of it, shaking his head a little. Midway during the fourth buzz, Bill scrambled over to the phone and tapped the screen on:

 

**Bae <3: Bill is this you?**

 

**Bae <3: Who is McDreamy?**

 

**Bae <3: Hello??**

 

**Bae <3: Bill?**

 

Bill looked over the texts, finding them not being negative really, and he let out a sigh of relief. Quickly he sent a reply:

 

**McDreamy: yes it is i, bill the king of awesome**

 

**Bae <3: Why is your name McDreamy in my phone?**

 

**McDreamy: isnt it obvious??**

 

**Bae <3: No.**

 

**McDreamy: have u nvr seen greys anatomy???**

 

**Bae <3: Nope.**

 

**McDreamy: U MUST B JOKIN R ITE?**

 

**Bae <3: I’m not.**

 

**McDreamy:  OK HOLD UP-**

 

Dipper read the long text messages Bill sent explaining the premise of Grey’s Anatomy and who McDreamy and McSteamy were, and he couldn’t help but laugh at the man’s personal commentary. It made for a more interesting morning to say the least, and Dipper figured his life would never have a dull moment with Bill in it. The day continued on just like that, with Dipper and Bill sending joke filled, poorly written text messages back and forth to each other. Those text messages were the brightest moments of Dipper’s day, even if they did almost get him in trouble at work.

 

Three times.

 

Texting Bill sort of became an addiction for Dipper. One day turned into two, then three, four, five and so on, and each day from the moment he woke up to the moment he fell asleep, Dipper would be texting Bill. The morning texts from Bill always started out the same way, and honestly they were the best things to wake up to:

 

**McDreamy: did it hurt when u fell from heaven?**

 

**McDreamy: is it hot in here or is it just u? ;)**

 

**McDreamy: im tryn to rearrange the alphabet so that U & I are together**

 

**McDreamy: r u a parking ticket bcuz u got fine written all over u**

 

**McDreamy: ur hot, im ugly, lets make average babies**

 

**McDreamy: if we had a garden id put my tulips & ur tulips together**

 

**McDreamy: some1 call the cops cuz its illegal to look that gud**

 

Texting Dipper also became an addiction for Bill as well. Each moment in his day used to only be dedicated to his younger brother and best friend, but now Dipper had wedged himself in there as well, no longer as a good friend, but as his boyfriend. It was still a weird thought for Bill, but the more and more he continued to think about it the more and more he wanted to make it work. He couldn’t lie about it: he was attached to the young man in ways he never knew existed. Bill wanted to see Dipper each and every single day, to spend time with him, eat with him, laugh with him, wake up next to him- But of course, life keeps moving and it’s inhabitants have to keep moving as well. Bill wouldn’t be able to see Dipper every waking moment in his life, but texting was the closest substitute he had, and he took what he could get.

 

And then there was the day that Dipper suddenly stopped texting him.

 

It came out of the blue on a Sunday, a Sunday where Bill knew that Dipper wasn’t working or doing something important. He had sent Dipper his customary Good Morning pick up line, but after two hours of no real response, Bill started to get worried. He sent Dipper texts throughout the day, just things that came to his mind, and the occasional weird observation in hopes of getting a response from the young man. By the end of the day, Bill had sent 31 messages, and received none from Dipper.

 

The following Monday morning was a mess. Bill woke up later than he usually did, accidentally dropped the milk carton all over the floor during breakfast, nearly made Tad late for work by accidentally spilling coffee on his clothes, and just barely got Will to the bus stop on time. And when he got home, he still had no messages from Dipper. It had him on edge. _Did something happen to him? Is he alright? Is he mad at me?_ The thoughts refused to leave Bill’s mind, and it was driving him crazy.

 

By noon he had made up his mind. There was no real guarantee that it would even work, but Bill couldn’t just stay at home fretting like this anymore. He put on some decent clothes, grabbed his phone, wallet, keys, and sunglasses, and soon made his way outside, shutting the front door behind him. It was a chilly afternoon, not that Bill minded at all, but he did have quite a ways to walk. He adopted a quick pace, his feet leading the way while his mind trailed slowly behind.

 

It wasn’t too long before Bill found himself standing outside of a familiar little coffee shop. He peeked inside through the large front windows, his eyes surveying around for his target. Said target he found was standing behind the cash register, working on a line of three people and getting their orders. Wendy was behind the counter as well, working on people’s orders with lightning and accurate speed. From where Bill stood, he could see the slight bags under Dipper’s eyes, the way his messy hair seemed even more messy than before. _Had he not slept at all last night?_ Bill wondered, putting on his sunglasses and walking to the entrance.

 

The shop was nice and warm, the chill of the outside world soon leaving Bill’s body and clothes, and he casually, or as casual as he could possibly be, made his way to the end of the line. He hoped that his sunglasses was a good disguise, and since Dipper hadn’t really noticed it was him, Bill had to say that it was working pretty well. Bill made a mental note to change his name in Dipper’s phone to Clark Kent as the line moved up.

 

Bill hadn’t really been paying attention to the people in front of him, however one comment he heard struck him like lightning.

 

“I know my coffee is going to be hot, but you’re definitely hotter.”

 

Bill looked up so fast that his sunglasses slid off his face and onto the floor. Not that Dipper noticed or anything, he was too busy looking flustered at the customer in front of Bill. The male customer was leaning close to Dipper, his hands resting resting on the counter, standing on one foot with the other tucked behind his leg. From where he stood, Bill could see how red Dipper’s face was. And he could also see the hint of discomfort there.

 

“E-excuse me?” Dipper stammered out awkwardly to the flirting stranger, leaning away as much as he could while still acting polite.

 

“What do you say about going on a date sometime, hm?” said Mr Annoyingly-Flirtatious-Stranger-Hitting-on-Dipper-Fricking-Pines-AKA-Bill’s-Boyfriend.

 

Dipper’s blush worsened, “I-I have a-”

 

“Something the matter, babe?” he asked Dipper.

 

And that’s when Bill snapped.

 

Without thinking, Bill stepped out of the line and walked over to the side of the counter. He knew that Dipper could potentially get fired for this, but Bill honestly wasn’t thinking about that at all as he stepped behind the counter. Dipper finally noticed Bill’s presence when he suddenly was swept off his feet and almost falling backwards. He would have let out a screech if it wasn’t for Bill’s arms winding tightly around his waist, holding him steady as he bent down to plant a kiss on Dipper’s lips. Dipper wounded his arms around Bill’s neck, partly because he didn’t want to fall.

 

The other reason though was to pull Bill closer and kiss him harder.

 

The embrace was a brief one, but when Bill pulled Dipper upright again and stepped away a bit, Dipper’s breathing was more heavy than he imagined. Bill refused to let go of Dipper, and when he spoke, he spoke directly to Dipper, but his eyes shot knives at the flirting customer, “Sorry I’m late for work _babe_ . Hope you didn’t miss me too much after our long, hard night of _gay sex_.”

 

Dipper’s face lit up in flames, his entire face now red and his words a complete mess, “Bill- you- I- we-”

 

Mr Annoying-Flirtatious-Boyfriend-Snatcher took an awkward step away from the counter, his hands up in the air, “Uhh, actually, never mind sweetie-”

 

Bill glared at the man for his use of the word “Sweetie” with his _boyfriend_ , and the stranger took a couple more steps before walking away completely from the counter, shoving his hands in his pockets and heading for the door. They wordlessly watched the man leave, Bill mentally cursing him while Dipper was just trying to catch up on what just happened. Suddenly Bill was hit upside the head by a coffee cup. He back away from Dipper, releasing the man from his grasp and he protected his head from the assaulting coffee cup.  

 

“Just- what- the- hell- are- you- doing- Bill?!” Wendy exploded, each word she said punctuated with a hit to Bill’s head with the cup. She drove the man out from behind the counter, the two bickering now, and Dipper just stood there and watched the whole thing, slightly bewildered.

 

“I was saving my boyfriend, what does it look like I’m doing?!” Bill retaliated, fighting off the offending cup as best he could.

 

“It looked like you were driving away one of our customers!” Wendy countered.

 

“Of course I was! He was hitting on Dipper!”

 

“Hasn’t Dipper told you that happens everyday here?!”

 

Bill’s mouth snapped shut, and his gaze fell on Dipper. Said young man sheepishly hid behind the cash register. Suddenly Bill’s train of thought left the offending customer situation and latched onto the whole reason why he came down to the coffee shop in the first place.

 

“You!” Bill went on, pointing an accusing finger at Dipper, “Why haven’t you been texting me?”

 

Dipper stopped at the hurt look on Bill’s face, and soon guilt washed over him, “I- I lost my phone a-actually.”

 

Bill lowered his hand, it suddenly dawning on him that he never stopped to think about the possibility of him losing his phone.

 

“Oh.”

 

Bill was whacked upside the head again by Wendy.

 

Dipper sighed, forcing a small smile onto his face.

 

Wendy continued to chastise Bill.

 

And the trio, wholly immersed in the situation, failed to miss a certain brunette ducking out of sight from the front window.

 

 

**V^**

 

 

Dipper dropped Bill off at Tad’s house with the promise to "find" his phone as soon as he made it back to his apartment.

 

In reality, Dipper didn’t lose his phone.

 

He knew exactly where it was. It was sitting on the kitchen counter of his apartment, and it had been since late Saturday evening. He had set it there when he got back to his apartment that night from the grocery store. The same grocery store visit where he had ran into Ashter for the first time since the wedding.

 

At first, he hadn’t realized that it was her when he bumped into her in the aisle, but when he looked down his eyes met her familiar dark ones and he knew instantly that he was trapped.

 

“Dipper!” Ashter said, setting her items down into her basket.

 

Dipper did his best to smile and not be awkward, “Hey Ashter, surprised seeing you here!”

 

“Same goes to you! How’ve you been?”

 

“Pretty good… and yourself?”

 

“I’m...alright I guess.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

That seemed to do it for Ashter, and suddenly her face fell into a sad expression, “No...but I kind of have to be alright at this point.”

 

Dipper knew that he would regret asking, but he also knew that it was the right thing to ask,  “Have you… talked to Bill at all?”

 

Ashter shook her head, “I haven’t seen or heard from him since the wedding.”

 

The guilt Dipper felt skyrocketed. Here he was, texting Bill day in and day out, while Ashter, the most hurt person out of all of this, hadn’t once talked to Bill.

 

“But,” she went on, “You wouldn’t have heard from him have you? Like running into him somewhere or something?”

 

Dipper’s words were lodged in his throat. Should he be honest with her? Should he tell her the truth? Or should he lie?

 

“Who am I kidding, you probably haven’t,” Ashter laughed lightly, picking up her basket. She patted Dipper on the arm, “It was good to see you again, Dipper.”

 

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Dipper managed to choke out.

 

Ashter didn’t answer him, merely giving him a sad smile before squeezing his arm and walking away to finish her own grocery shopping, leaving Dipper to stand in the middle of the aisle along with all of his conflictions.

 

Dipper came back to senses. Now, he was back at his apartment, staring at his phone that had been going off all day yesterday. He didn’t dread picking it up and reading the messages he had, no, what he dreaded was this continual feeling of guilt that overcame him every time he received a text, the guilt of going behind Mabel’s back, the guilt of what Ashter had put herself through. Dipper was afraid of that guilt becoming unbearable, and there was so much more that he was worried about, and the last thing he wanted to do was completely screw everything up.

 

He sighed, and slowly, he reached over and picked up his phone, turning the screen on.

 

32 unread messages.

 

31 from Bill.

 

1 from Mabel.

 

Dipper’s breathing slowed. He didn’t know his sister had messaged him at all. He tapped on the text message to pull it up, and what he saw made his stomach drop.

 

It was a picture, one taken from far away, but the moment the photo captured was clear as day. It was a picture of Bill kissing him behind the counter from earlier, with Dipper’s arms wrapped around Bill’s neck. It was a picture of Bill successfully getting the flirting customer away from him.

 

And it was a picture, photographic proof, of Dipper breaking his promise with Mabel.

 

It took everything he had to read the accompanying message:

 

**Mabes: Care to explain what this is all about?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *"No hables cuando tienes comida en la boca" - "Do not talk when you have food in your mouth"


	12. Pretty Crier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel bad that this is kind of a short chapter, but these past couple of days have just been one hell of a roller coaster and I just really wanted to update this story @.@ But besides all that, enjoy reading lovelies! 
> 
> -V

 

Dipper sank to the kitchen floor. He held his phone in a vice grip, and he couldn’t take his eyes off the photo, off the message. Everything about the picture was perfect: the way Bill had bent Dipper backwards, the way bill had kissed Dipper fully and possessively, the way Dipper completely gave in to the gesture, the way Dipper wrapped his arms around Bill, the way Dipper pulled BIll closer. Dipper wanted to stare at the picture all day and night, and he desperately wished to be in that moment again. But if he were to looked down further, past the perfect photo, he would find the only flaw in the picture. 

 

_ Care to explain what this is all about? _

 

The flaw in that this was legitimate proof of Dipper going behind Mabel’s back, his own  _ sister _ , and interfering with an already complex situation, and his involvement with the even more complicated man Bill Cipher. Dipper tossed his phone to the ground. He couldn’t run from the shame he felt as he drew his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his forehead on his knees. 

 

_ Care to explain what this is all about? _

 

Dipper didn’t mean for this to happen. He didn’t mean for any of it to happen. And he especially didn’t imagine everything to go the way it did. He didn’t plan for the wedding to go awry. He didn’t plan for Bill to sneak into the back of his car. He didn’t plan to succumb to Bill’s wishes and take him to Taco Bell, and then take him home. He didn’t plan for Bill to then sneak his way into his bedroom and his bed and his head. He didn’t plan to get so attached to Will and Tad, and to fall so deep for Bill. He didn’t plan for Mabel to find out this way. And he didn’t plan to feel so guilt ridden by his happiness, to feel so much shame for finding someone he cared about so much, to hate how much the strange family of three had grown on him. 

 

_ Care to explain what this is all about? _

 

He couldn’t explain. DIpper knew that he couldn’t. He couldn’t even put into spoken word just how much he felt for the trio, and, in turn, how they all felt for him. Dipper was afraid for so many reasons, so so many reasons about all of this, and this possible feud between him and Mabel would only add more fire to it all. He wasn’t prepared to face Mabel in the slightest, and yet he needed to be, he needed to force himself to be prepared to face her, talk to her, listen to her. And in the end if he still wasn’t prepared, he had better hope he can fake his way through to the other side. 

 

_ Care to explain what this is all about? _

 

Dipper looked up from his knees, eyeing his phone from across the room. The hidden message there continuously taunted him to no end.  _ Care to explain what this is all about? Care to explain why you lied to me? Care to explain why  _ you  _ are involved with Bill when _ you were the one _ who agreed not to intervene? Can you explain that? Can you defend yourself and your actions?  _

 

Was Dipper ready to do that? Was he ready to defend himself and Bill? Could he even defend himself, even though he was scared out of his wits? Dipper chewed on his bottom lip in thought. 

 

_ Is this what it means to be in a relationship? To defend yourself and your significant other, even when all odds are against them?  _

 

_ Was he ready to walk that line? _

 

The phone buzzed from the floor, the very sound nearly sending a wave of nausea through his body. Was it from Bill again or…? Reluctantly, Dipper pushed himself forward, crawling on his hands and knees over to the phone. He flipped it over with a hesitant hand, and the screen lit alive. 

 

1 unread message from Mabel. 

 

Dipper let out a shuddered breath as he read the new message from her. 

 

**Mabes: Care to explain what this is all about?**

 

**Mabes: Meet me tomorrow at noon at the cafe. Don’t you dare not show up.**

 

He let the phone fall to the floor. 

 

That was it. His fate was sealed in less than 15 words. There was no way he could get out of it now. With what little energy he had left, he stood up on wobbly legs and picked up his phone. He didn’t send a reply to Mabel, but he did send a brief message to Bill saying that he found his phone and that he was turning in early. And when Bill asked if he wanted to hang out tomorrow afternoon, Dipper felt even more guilt and shame as he lied to Bill once again, saying that he had a doctor’s appointment. 

 

_ Care to explain what this is all about?  _

 

The words haunted Dipper even in his sleep. 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


He felt sick all morning. He felt sick, guilt, shame, sick, guilt, shame, all in excessive amounts, all at once. Even Bill’s customary good morning greeting didn’t lift his spirits as he dragged himself out of bed. He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to confront Mabel about this. He didn’t want Mabel to confront  _ him _ . He wanted nothing more than to be with Bill, to hold the older man close and never let go, but even that mere thought made him more sick to his stomach. 

 

He couldn’t help that his movement was stiff and tense. He felt like a bundle of nerves just waiting to explode from within. It didn’t help the matter that he almost broke a coffee mug, or that he nearly dropped the carton of milk, or that he just barely avoided burning his hand on the stove. He sat on in couch in defeat, deciding to not step a foot in the kitchen until he was calmed down some. He sat there for a long time, so long that he lost track of time, lost his urge to eat breakfast. He sat there for so long that he dozed off, his head lolled backwards at an awkward angle. The night before he slept fitfully, waking up every hour of the clock. 

 

The sound of his phone going off in the kitchen was what roused him awake finally several hours later. He pulled himself off the couch and sluggishly made his way to his room to change, not bothering to see who had texted him. He changed his clothes and meandered back into the kitchen, pocketing his phone along with his wallet and keys and headed out into the dangerous world. 

 

He drove the familiar route to his work in a daze, the only thing on his mind being what Mabel could possibly say to him when he arrived. He reached the coffee shop within a matter of a few short minutes, and soon he found himself parking behind the building. Hesitantly, he checked his phone for the time as he was unbuckling his seatbelt.

 

**McDreamy: hey stud i kno ur at ur doc appointmnt but we should get dinner together 2nite**

 

He couldn’t stop the sad smile that inched its way onto his face. Even without him knowing, Bill seemed to make his mood a little lighter, a little happier. As he got out of his car and walked to the main entrance, he texted his reply to Bill, agreeing to the proposition and asking what time and where. 

 

His feet did most of the work for him. They brought him to the shop’s front, and stopped directly in front of the large window, allowing him to look inside. There weren’t many customers there for a Tuesday afternoon thankfully. He looked behind the register, spotting a couple of coworkers he wasn’t quite familiar with.  _ Thank goodness Wendy isn’t working today _ he thought.  

 

He scanned the area, his eyes finally falling on a familiar brunette. Mabel, who was sitting all the way in the back of the shop, had a blank look on her face as she stared at her bottle of water. She was wearing one of her lighter sweaters, the soft blue one, and she had her hair pulled back away from her face. Her appearance set him slightly on edge, he’d only ever really seen her with her hair pulled back like that when she was doing something important or requiring her full attention. He gulped, and with as much energy and false self assurance he could muster, he walked over to the door and pushed it open. The instant he entered the space, Mabel’s attention was directed to him, her eyes boring into him as if she could see his very soul. He shuddered. 

 

He made his way to where Mabel sat. It was tense, walking over to her. He couldn’t help but feel like he was about to walk into an interrogation room, where Mabel was police official and he was the guilty criminal sweating bullets. They didn’t say a word to each other at first. He simply sat in the chair across from her, folding his hands in his lap. 

 

A stretch of uncomfortable silence rested between them, and Mabel was the first to break it. He watched as she began to rummage through her bag, pulling out a vanilla folder and a pen and placing them on the table. She flipped open the vanilla folder, taking the single piece of paper inside of it and setting it in front of Dipper. 

 

“Dipper,” she spoke, her tone sharp, cutting, “What is this exactly?”

 

Dipper looked down at the paper. It was a printed copy of the photo Mabel had taken the other day. 

 

“You...printed this?” he asked with slight disbelief. 

 

“Wha- I- Yes! But that’s besides the point!” Mabel sputtered. She took her pen and uncapped it. She then draw heavy circles around Dipper and Bill’s kissing faces, with arrows pointing for emphasis. “What is this!”

 

It wasn’t quite a question, but Dipper took it as one, “It’s… an interesting p-photo…”

 

“Interesting indeed,” Mabel said, narrowing her eyes a little. “Dipper, I’m not going to beat around the bush with this. Why is Bill kissing you in this picture?”

 

Dipper sighed aloud, holding his forehead in his hand, “He was trying to get rid of a flirting customer…”

 

“By kissing you?”

 

“Y-yes.”

 

“And why didn’t he just tell him to get lost?”

 

“Because it’s Bill we’re talking about here… he got a little upset.”

 

“Upset?”

 

“Upset like… jealous, possessive, I mean.”

 

Mabel leaned forward across the table, looking Dipper dead in the eyes, “And  _ why  _  for whatever reason would Bill be jealous and possessive?” She stared him down, and Dipper felt like shrinking in his seat. He was hit again with guilt ridden nausea, and at that moment  he wanted nothing more than to crawl into his own bed and never come out.  _ This really is like an interrogation  _ he thought to himself.

 

“Because… he and I- we’re- uh…”

 

Mabel stared at him impatiently with a glint in her eye.

 

“Dating...now.” 

 

Mabel blinked slowly, letting the information sink in. Dipper stared at his sister anxiously, mentally berating himself. They sat in a long stretch of silence, the sound of the coffee makers and customers chatting fading out into the background. Dipper listened to his own breathing, counting backwards in time with his chest rising and falling.

 

_ Five _ . Inhale.

 

_ Four _ . Exhale.

 

_ Three _ . Inhale.

 

_ Two _ . Exhale.

 

_ One _ . Inhale.

 

“I’m going to tell Ashter.”

 

Dipper choked. The air lodged painfully in his lungs. It hurt. It all hurt tremendously. And Mabel words hit him like a ton of bricks. 

 

_ I’m going to tell Ashter. _

 

And without realizing, he went into panic mode. 

 

“Please don’t tell Ashter,” he begged, leaning forward and using his hands to brace himself on the table. 

 

“Dipper, Ashter has to know what’s going on,” Mabel said calmly, refusing to back down.

 

“And she will! I swear she will! I’ve been telling him to go talk to her about it!”

 

“And has he?”

 

Dipper had no response. 

 

“That settles it then,” Mabel rose from her seat, grabbing her things. 

 

Dipper scrambled up quickly, nearly toppling over his chair. He reached out to his sister and latched his hand on her forearm in a firm grip, “Mabel, please! Please just let me talk to Bill first! I promise I’ll get him to talk to Ashter!” 

 

Mabel glared at his hand, and he immediately let go of her. “Dipper, the last time you made a deal with me you broke it, why should I trust you to do this?” The memories of a past conversation floated through Dipper’s head. 

 

_ “...I’m saying maybe we should just let Bill and Ashter figure this out on their own...let’s make a deal...to not interfere anymore…” _

 

_ “....what’ll happen if we do interfere…” _

 

_ “...if one of us interferes...then the person gets to do whatever they want to the person that interfered...how does that sound…” _

 

_ “...deal…” _

 

_ Why the hell do I want to trust him? _

 

_ Care to explain what this is all about? _

 

Dipper’s stomach dropped. He opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn’t form coherent words. 

 

Mabel sighed, “I’m giving you three days. If he doesn’t talk to her in three days then I will.” She continue to speak, and she jabbed her finger on Dipper’s chest to emphasis what she said, “And don’t think you’re forgiven. You’re not. I don’t like this... _ thing _ you have with him and I don’t think it’s a smart idea. And you’re the last person I could possibly imagine getting in the middle of this.” And with that, Mabel left Dipper, making her way across the space and exiting through the front entrance. 

 

Dipper stood stock still, his breathing coming in short, clipped. He braced himself on the table, fearful that his legs wouldn’t work long enough to keep him standing.  _ I don’t like this thing you have with him and I don’t think it’s a smart idea.  _ Dipper shut his eyes tight. He had never seen Mabel so… disappointed, disappointed in  _ him _ . And it hurt. It hurt tremendously so. 

 

_ Three days. _

 

His eyes flew open. They had three days to fix this. Three days to talk to Ashter. Three days to make it up to Mabel. He didn’t realize that he was walking until he was completely out of the shop and had made it to his car already. When had that happened?  And then he suddenly found himself in the driver seat, shaky hands putting on the seat belt and turning the key. When had he started driving? The world outside passed by in a blur, where was he going? He didn’t know. He took various turns and stopped at lights and signs, but he still didn’t know where he was going. And then, he realized that he was parking in an empty driveway and getting out of the car. Where was he? Why weren’t his feet stopping? They carried him through a front yard and up several steps. He heard several knocks on the front door. Had he done that? How had he not noticed his own hand raising up in front of him? And then he heard footsteps from inside making their way to the door, and he heard the door being unlocked from the inside, and he saw the door being pulled open, and he saw the confused face of a familiar man standing there in front of him.

 

“Dipper…?”

 

The soft manner in which Bill spoke in was what broke Dipper’s dazed spell, dragging him back into full consciousness. All at once he felt the nausea, the guilt, the shame from earlier, and he immediately wrapped his arms around his waist protectively. Was he breathing? God he hoped he was breathing. He refused to look up at Bill, keeping his eyes trained to the ground. 

 

Bill stood there, overcome with surprise, shock, confusion, staring at the man standing on his doorstep. He noticed something Dipper didn’t.

 

“Dipper...why are you crying?”

 

Dipper’s eyes widened, shooting to look at Bill finally. The moment Bill said that, Dipper felt something wet trailing down his face over and over and over again. When had he started crying? Had he been crying the entire time?

 

Dipper focused back on Bill, and he saw the sudden change in the older man as he took a step towards him. His face was a myriad of emotion: concern, confusion, anger, and a little bit of something else, something akin to possessiveness but…something deeper than that...

 

Bill grabbed Dipper’s hand and stepped into his personal space, merely inches apart. “Dipper, what is going on? What happened? Why are you crying?”

 

Bill  _ cared _ . He cared so much that it made Dipper feel even more ashamed, and the tears came harder then, and he couldn’t control them at all. He just felt so numb and so tired, and he wanted nothing more than to crawl in a hole somewhere. 

 

Dipper let Bill pull him inside the house, gentle fingers wrapped loosely around Dipper’s wrist. He said nothing as Bill lead him down the hallway, passing quiet rooms as they walked.  _ They must be at work and school _ Dipper thought idly, his weary eyes finding Bill’s back. He saw how tense his shoulders were, and he couldn’t help but feel guilty at the idea of having caused it. Bill pushed open his bedroom door and led Dipper inside. He didn’t let go until they made it to his bed, the covers and pillows strewn about haphazardly. 

 

Bill sat down on the bed first, then he tugged Dipper’s arm until the young man was sitting beside him. There was barely space between them, their thighs pressed against each other’s, their shoulders bumping together and… Bill reached out his hand, capturing Dipper’s, and laced their fingers together. Bill rubbed soothing little circles on Dipper’s hand with his thumb, and when he spoke, his voice was airy and sweet, laced with concern and soft sounding to Dipper’s ears,

 

“What happened Dipper?”

 

Dipper didn’t answer. He shut his tired eyes, resting his head on Bill’s shoulder. How could he possibly explain what this was all about? All his worries were running through his head so much that it hurt. He felt weak, terribly so. He felt weak for getting himself into this situation, and he felt weak for not being able to get out of it now. Suddenly, there was something wiping away his tears, caressing his face so gently, so comfortingly. Then, a pair of lips pressed against his temple. 

 

“Tell me,” Bill spoke again, his tone not forceful, not commanding, just sweet and soothing. 

 

“I…” 

 

_ I fucked up. _

 

Dipper let out a shuddered breath, and he started over. 

 

“Mabel found out… about me and you.”

 

Bill’s eyebrows pinched together, “How?”

 

“She saw us the other day...when you kissed me at work. She saw us and took a photo.”

 

Bill rested his forehead against Dipper’s temple, breathing in deeply. 

 

“And… she threatened to tell Ashter in three days if we didn’t.”

 

Dipper felt Bill tense, and god he hated it so much. 

 

“I see,” Bill breathed out, moving back some to look at Dipper’s face. “I guess that settles it then.” 

 

Dipper looked up at Bill with confusion, “Huh?”

 

Dipper shut his eyes when he noticed Bill leaning back in close. He felt his lips press against his eyelids, and foreign hands moved up to cradle Dipper’s face. Dipper broke out in a blush when he realized what Bill was doing. 

 

He was kissing away his tears. 

 

Bill trailed his kisses along Dipper’s face, from his eyelids to his cheeks, his nose, his lips, and Dipper complied fully when Bill pushed him backwards onto the soft bed. Bill placed one last chaste kiss on Dipper’s lips, and Dipper finally opened his eyes to find Bill hovering over him. 

 

“I’ll call Ashter here in a little bit and set something up for tomorrow,” Bill said simply, his eyes unwavering in his gaze. 

 

The words sunk in for Dipper, and immediately he let out a half sob of relief. Bill couldn’t help but chuckle lightly, moving down to rest his forehead against Dipper’s. “You know,” he began with a smirk, “The world has some pretty ugly criers.”

 

Dipper huffed in annoyance, lightly smacking Bill’s shoulder. 

 

“But,” Bill added quickly, “You’re definitely not one of them.” 

 

The young man looked at him in disbelief. He then reached up his hands and pulled Bill back down into a kiss, mumbling words like “Rude” and “Idiot” in between, all the while Bill smiled happily.  


	13. Past, Present, Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyyyy, new chap! Yay! Not much to say, other than holy cow the shifts in time in this are insane. Like there's so many, holy crap, I hope it isn't too confusing. AND WE ALSO LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT BILL THAT I HONESTLY CANT EVEN HANDLE. 
> 
> But other than that, enjoy reading everybody! Love you all! :)
> 
> -V

Bill paced the room back and forth, his phone held firmly in his grip, his fingers tapping lightly on his lips as he thought. Dipper had left some time ago, and with his departure arrived a nervousness that Bill hadn’t been expecting. It wasn’t as if it was eating him alive, it was more of a slight feeling, like when fingertips are dragged lightly across skin, barely touching, but enough to know that it’s there. He wasn’t nervous for himself no, he felt he didn’t have the pleasure of being nervous. What he felt nervous for was Ashter.

 

_“Do you ever get nervous about performing in front of so many people?” she asked him. Bill gave it some thought, “Not really. I mean, maybe at opening night I might get a little fidgety, but the rest of the nights I’m fine.” She sighed, resting her head on Bill’s shoulder. Bill looked down at her, his curious glance unseen by her. She spoke again, her voice soft, “I always get so nervous about everything, even if it’s little… that’s why… you’re so incredible. You can just get on stage without so much as a second thought and do something you love. I probably… couldn’t do that ever…“ Bill’s confused look softened, and he rested his head on her’s gently, “It’s normal to be nervous you know. It shows that you care even more than you do already.” And what went unseen by him was the way her face blushed lightly, what went unheard was the sound of her heartbeat quicken._

 

Bill sighed, finally stopping in his tracks. He tossed his phone onto his bed before making his way out of his bedroom. The house was quiet still. It wasn’t quite time to pick up Will yet, and Tad had said he would be working late today. His footsteps echoed as he walked down the hallway and into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out the milk, setting it on the counter. He then went to get a bowl, spoon, and the cereal, aligning everything neatly on the counter. Out of habit, he poured the milk first into the bowl, then the cereal.

 

_“What are you doing?” he asked, looking over her shoulder. “Just making cereal,” she said simply. He watched as she poured the milk into the bowl first before adding the cereal. Bill quirked an eyebrow at that, “You don’t pour the cereal first?” She shook her head, “Never have. Call it weird, but it’s how I like it.” Bill considered it thoughtfully. She was mid-bite when she noticed that he too was now grabbing a bowl and spoon, and she watched slightly awed as he copied her action of pouring milk then cereal. He stared at the bowl for a brief moment before saying, “It isn’t weird actually. I… kind of like it not gonna lie.” And as he picked up the bowl of cereal and headed off to the table, he, again, missed the way a light blush crept across her features._

 

It didn’t take him long to eat his light meal, disposing of the bowl and spoon in the sink to be cleaned later. He rubbed his face in his hands, not entirely sure of what to do next. He didn’t want to go text her right away, what if she was working? He didn’t want to interrupt that really. If he remembered correctly, she took her job very seriously. With a slow pace, he walked back out of the kitchen, but he stopped short of the hallway. He glanced back into the kitchen for a moment.

 

_He was sitting on the couch, playing a game on his phone when he heard the front door open. He looked up and, finding a familiar face, gave her a welcoming smile. “Welcome back,” he told her, setting down his phone and getting off the couch. She returned the smile, hanging her coat on the rack, “Hopefully you weren’t too bored when I was gone.” He rolled his eyes playfully, “Bored out of my mind actually. How was your day at work…?” He eyed the mess that covered her usually pristine apron. She looked embarrassed for a moment as she pulled off the messy apron, “It was...okay. I accidentally spilled an entire dish on myself during rush hour.” Bill chuckled, “The life of an amateur chef, huh?” She huffed with a pout, “I’m going to be an awesome chef soon, just you wait! I won’t ever spill anything ever again!” Bill smiled, patting her head gently, “Of course you will be, you work so hard already, I’d be surprised if you didn’t.” And with that, he took her apron and started his way to the washing machine, again, missing her lightly blushed features._

 

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair as he turned back around and headed for his bedroom. He nudged open the door with his foot and stepped inside, peering around. He eyed his phone on the bed, still in the same place he had left it earlier. His gaze moved, his eyes falling on his nightstand, or rather, a book that was lying there, untouched since last night. Even from so far away he could make out the title printed on it’s side. It was a newer edition of _Fahrenheit 451_ , one of his favorite books to read when he couldn’t sleep. He had given his older copy away some time ago.

 

_“Whatcha reading?”   “Fahrenheit 451.”   “I remember having to have that in high school.”   “It was the only book that I actually liked reading during high school.”   “I don’t really remember much of it. I thought about reading it but I never did buy another copy of it.”   “If you want to could have this one.”   “Ehh?? Really? But you’re reading it!”   “I can always buy another one. Besides, I’ve read this cover to cover a dozen times already, I’d rather give this to someone who wants to read it for the first time. Here, take it.”   “...thank you…”_

 

Bill plopped down on his bed, stretching his arms above his head. He checked the time on his phone. _2:39 huh? I’ll have to go get Will in a little bit_ he thought, unlocking his phone. He mindlessly went through his apps, trying to find a game to play. He tapped one, and a small grin found its way onto his face. He remembered when this app first came out, remembered the rage it put everyone into, and he remembered the rage being directed to him every time he beat everyone’s high score.

 

_“Don’t mess up.”   “Bill, shut up.”   “Don’t mess up.”   “Bill!”   “Don’t mess-”   Bill received a hand covering his face completely, shoving him away. “Bill, I swear to god I will beat your score!” she vowed gravely, her eyes unwavering from the phone screen. Bill laughed behind the hand. Who knew a simple game of tapping a bird to make it fly would cause such an outburst? He maneuvered his hand to wave in front of the phone screen, and she muttered something under her breath as she moved away from him on the couch. Bill heard the telltale sound of death, and she tossed the phone at him. “I’m done! Done! That game is too much!” she cried, throwing her hands up. Bill couldn’t stop laughing at that, clutching his stomach, “I’ve never seen you so upset!” She glared at him, “Whatever, I’m not upset at all. It’s just a dumb game.”  Bill straightened himself up, and in a swift motion, moved closer to her, their legs almost touching, his arm bumping hers. “Now, watch a pro play this,” he told her braggingly, but he was too caught up to notice how her breathing slowed, and how she didn’t watch the game at all, but rather him._

 

But of course, the game didn’t keep him entertained long, and soon he found himself staring at a certain contact in his phone. He couldn’t bring himself to delete it, and now he was glad he didn’t. He sighed. _I gotta do this_ he told himself. _I’ve gotta do this for Dipper...but most importantly for…_ He held his breath as he hit the call button, bringing the phone up to his ear. He listened to the sound of the phone ringing, dialing out, and right before it went to voicemail, the other end picked up. At first, nothing was spoken over the line, both unsure of what to say really. The person on the other end beat him to it though.

 

_“...Bill?”_

 

“Hey...Sorry to call you right now…” _Sorry I’m calling you so late - Sorry I didn’t call you sooner_ “Are you free tomorrow?”

 

_“Y-yes...why?”_

 

“I wanted to talk to you - In person I mean.”

 

_“O-oh…”_

 

“Is...is that alright?”

 

_“...yeah. That’s fine.”_

 

“Okay.”

  
  


**V^**

  
  


Ashter was early. She didn’t need to check her phone to know that. She wasn’t early by much, maybe thirty minutes or so, but it was still early nonetheless. She was nervous, of course she was nervous, who wouldn’t be? She took in a deep breath, trying to slow her beating heart. It worked a little. She took to looking around the park from where she sat, a bench just near the playground. The sun was setting now, and the playground was nearly deserted, save for the small family of three, mother, father, son, all happy, all smiling, playing together. Ashter found she was smiling fondly at the family.

 

_They were sitting at the dining table, eating their own breakfasts, when the question suddenly slipped from her lips, “Do you think you’ll have children when you’re older?” She became internally terrified for asking when he stopped mid bite, looking up at her from behind his eyelashes. “Have children?” he repeated, a little slow. Ashter nodded awkwardly. He set down his spoon as he thought. The silence that stretched on made Ashter even more nervous, and right as she was about to apologize, he spoke again, “A daughter.” Ashter was momentarily surprised, “What?” In awe, she watched him sheepishly look back down at his food. “I’d like to have a daughter,” he said in a low voice, “I take care of Will like he’s my own son now… I think it’d be nice for him to have someone close to like a younger sister. Someone he’d feel protective over, ya know?” Ashter said nothing, at a loss for words for such an unexpected response._

 

Ashter looked away from the family, feeling slightly invasive for staring at them for so long. She let out a shaky breath, her eyes training to her shoes now. She wished she could just calm down, think about things rationally. What did he want to talk about? She huffed, already knowing the answer to the simple question. Goodness, she was in a real mess wasn’t she? How did this even all happen?

 

_They were drunk. Stupidly drunk. He’d taken her to Frisky Fridays for her birthday, which was the first mistake. The second mistake was ordering alcohol right off the bat, even when they both knew they were lightweights. The third mistake was going just by themselves. The fourth mistake was that Ashter hadn’t told him how she felt, that she couldn’t stop thinking about him, that every time she was with him her heart would race. The fifth mistake, unbeknownst to her, was that he hadn’t told her that he was gay. And the final mistake was one that they had no control over, a bartender who had asked them if they were a couple, engaged, married. “Nooooooo,” Ashter had said, leaning on him with her full weight, her head dizzy after several drinks. “Really?” the bartender asked, surprised, “You guys seemed to be all over each other. I had no idea.” Ashter looked up, seeing that he had a stupid grin on his face. “It- probably wouldn’t be bad,” he said, his words slurred. Ashter’s eyes widened at the statement, “R-really?!” He looked down at her, and in his drunken haze, he didn’t see the seriousness in her face, the way she almost sobered up immediately, “Sssure! Sounds fun!” The bartender roared with laughter, shouting to the crowd over the music, “Next round’s on me for these two newly engaged! Congratulations!” Those who heard cheered right back to the new couple._

 

Ashter could feel a headache coming on. She knew it was probably a bad idea to come right after work, but he had insisted he wanted to do this as soon as possible. She looked down at her apron, mostly clean, except for a little spot near the pocket. She fiddled with the hem of it, feeling the fabric between her fingers. Maybe she should see if he’s on his way? Or if he’s almost here? Or if he...decided not to show?

 

 _She wished everyone good night as they left, watching them all go one by one to their cars parked on the street. She shut the front door behind her, resting her back against it. The small home was quiet. Incredibly quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. She remembered how just a few days ago, people were coming in and out, bringing food, gifts, decorations, pilling everything in the single bedroom, the living room, the dining room. Their house had been packed to the brim, bustling with so much energy. And now...now it was just silent. Lonely. Empty. Ashter walked away from the door, heading to their,_ her _bedroom. The door creaked open loudly, and she winced at the sound. Immediately she looked to her bed. There, laid out nicely, was her wedding dress, still pristine and seemingly unwrinkled. She took one step forward, one single step, before she crumbled to the ground. She had kept it together while her bridesmaids were here but now… now the silence was broken by the shaking sobs of the stood up bride._

 

Ashter shook her head, her hair whipping around in it’s ponytail. _Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it-_

 

“Hey.”

 

Ashter startled, jumping an inch from her seat. She looked up, and she felt her breath stop short. There he was. Bill Cipher in the flesh. He was standing right in front of her, looking down at her, when did he get here? He was wearing a hoodie and jeans, the hood pulled up over his head, his hands tucked deep into his pockets. If they were here under different circumstances, Ashter would have mentioned how shady he looked then.

 

“H-hi…” was all she could manage.

 

Bill sat down next to her, a good foot of distance between them. Ashter refused to look at him, her posture stiff, uncomfortable. She had so many questions to ask him, she knew she did, but at that moment, but they all slipped through the cracks of her mind, leaving her head blank. What should she say? Should she even say anything at all?

 

“You know, I’m actually banned from coming to this playground.”

 

Ashter startled again, whipping her head to face Bill now. Before she even realized, words fell from her mouth, “What?! Banned? How did you get banned from a playground?”

 

Bill chuckled, “Well, I was here with someone a while ago, and we caused such a mess that a concerned citizen called security on us.”

 

“A mess…?” Ashter questioned, slightly worried about what “mess” he was talking about.

 

“Yeah, we were climbing all over the playground equipment and stuff. I think someone called them when I attempted to parkour from the slide to the swing set and I almost crashed into a kid.”

 

Ashter let out a burst of laughter, caught off guard by the sound. Bill smiled, nodding his head around in attempts to shake off the hood, “Let’s just say we were chased off the premise, but I’m pretty sure that guy is lurking around and waiting for me to show up again.”

 

“Was it a smart idea to meet here, then?” Ashter asked, and suddenly she reminded herself that there was a reason why they were here. Her smile faltered slightly, and she looked back down at her shoes.

 

“I couldn’t think of any other place to meet really,” Bill said, finally getting the hood off.

 

“There’s a cute little coffee shop not too far from here.”

 

Bill tensed, “Ah, I know, but this felt more...fitting?” In actuality, he didn’t pick the coffee shop because he knew Dipper would still be working, and Bill did not need the awkward tension added to already awkwardly tense situation.

 

There was another stretch of silence. Bill flitted his eyes to Ashter, seeing the woman still staring downwards. The mere image made him feel guilty, and he let out a huge sigh before turning his body to face her. One leg hung off the bench, while he pulled up the other close to his chest. Ashter looked over at the movement, moving back just a bit when she noticed him facing her completely. Bill shut his eyes then, his face scrunching up in the process.

 

“Okay, let me have it.”

 

Ashter looked at him bewildered, “W-what?”

 

“One punch, on the house, right on this pretty face.”

 

“But...why?”

 

Bill opened one of his eyes, “Isn’t it obvious?”

 

“Well, I mean, yes? But, like, I don’t want to hit you…”

 

Bill opened both eyes then, “Oh thank god, I was worried about having to get a nose job after this.”

 

Ashter lightly punched his shoulder, and Bill let out a quiet laugh.

 

Ashter watched him take in a deep breath, then exhale, then another inhale, then exhale. She refrained from saying anything as he started to speak,

 

“Ashter, I wanted to come and apologize for what I did.  I know I have no right to be saying this but… I’m really, really, _really_ sorry that this all happened. I… acted impulsively and… -shit, I’m not good at this.”

 

She was momentarily stunned when he suddenly leaned forward, his long arms wrapping around her and pulling her in for a hug. His arms were tight around her shoulders, and she could feel him shaking slightly. _Or was that her?_

 

“You don’t have to forgive me for putting you through all this hell, but I just wanted to say that I am genuinely sorry for causing you so much trouble,” Bill murmured softly. “I have absolutely no right to be in your presence honestly, and it’s only fitting for you to hit me still if you wanted.”

 

Ashter huffed, “Bill, I already said that I’m not going to hit you.”

 

“I know but- you still might want to later.”

 

“...later?”

 

The silence that fell between them again unnerved Ashter, and she pulled away from Bill, but his arms still were wounded around her. “What else did you want to tell me?”

 

Bill moved his lips, as if to be testing his words, and he let out another sigh. “I... I’m… I’m seeing someone...now…”

 

Ashter felt her body go cold. “Seeing someone?”

 

Bill nodded sheepishly, guiltily, “It’s...Mabel’s brother actually. Dipper.”

 

Ashter said nothing to that. She didn’t think she could really. Instead, she quickly changed the topic.

 

“Are you...doing alright?”

 

Bill was taken by surprise with the question, but he answered it honestly, “I’m good. Great really, as awful as that sounds. Are you…?”

 

She nodded, “I’m alright. I got promoted actually. After the wedding.”

 

And suddenly, there was such a shift in Bill’s mood that Ashter couldn’t keep up. “Really?!” Bill asked, positively beaming, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her lightly. “What’s your position now? Please tell me you’re-”

 

“The head chef now, yeah,” Ashter finished for him. She wasn’t expected the squeal that Bill made, nor the tight embrace of a hug either.

 

“I knew you’d get promoted soon! I told you!” Bill cheered brightly, rocking them both back and forth. “Gah, I’m so happy for you! Congratulations!”

 

Ashter smiled awkwardly, patting Bill’s back lightly, “T-thank you… you were the one who told me to stick with it after all.”

 

“Well duh!” Bill said, moving back to look at her squarely, “Literally everyone knew you were going to be head chef there!”

 

“I doubt everyone believed that-”

 

“Shoosh! Everyone did! Believe it!”

 

The conversation started to flow easier then, the pair switching from one topic to another, although avoiding the elephant still present in the room. They talked so long that the sun finally set completely, the family of three finally left, and the street lights finally lit up brightly. Bill offered to walk Ashter to her car, and she happily obliged. On the walk there, their conversation lulled to a stop, a now comfortable silence resting amongst them. The atmosphere was almost comparable to how things were before the engagement Ashter realized, that light and airy feeling she would always get when she was with Bill, just the two of them. It was strange but… pleasant.

 

They reached her car too quickly, and the night too came quickly to it’s end. She honestly wished it hadn’t, but the reality of the situation set in. What he’d done. What she’d done. What they had to do.

 

“Are you...going to be alright?” Bill asked hesitantly.

 

She thought about it for a moment. Would she be alright? Would she be alright knowing that Bill had already moved on, with Dipper no less? Would she be able to move on too? “I… don’t know to tell you the truth.”

 

“Promise to tell me when you figure it out?” Bill asked, not bothering to hide the concern in his voice.

 

Ashter smiled sadly, “Promise.” And without thinking, the pair held out their hands, pinkies up, wrapping them together in a pinky promise.

 

_“Please promise to do the dishes while I’m gone,” Ashter begged him, a dufflebag slugged over her shoulder. He waved at her dismissively, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I will do them later.” She huffed, “Promise! We don’t want ants in the house again like last time.” He let out an exaggerated groan, and then suddenly, he stuck out his hand, his fingers all folded down with his pinky raised. Ashter raised an eyebrow, “A pinky promise?” He sighed, scratching the back of his head, “Yeah, Will’s been making a lot of them with me lately, though I doubt he actually keeps his promises. But, I pinky promise that I will do the dishes while you’re away.” Ashter looked down at his hand, and she too held out her hand, pinky raised. They wrapped them together, repeating the promise. Several days later, Ashter came home to a spotless kitchen, with all of the dishes cleaned and put away neatly._

  
  


**V^**

  
  


When Bill got home that evening, he sent Dipper a quick message about what happened. To say the least, Dipper was relieved, and honestly so was Bill. Of course he knew that things weren’t exactly patched together completely, but it was an honest, genuine start to the road to recovery. Bill sighed, sinking into the chair at the dining table. Tad was in the kitchen, heating up some leftovers from dinner for Bill.

 

“So how did it go?” Tad asked him from across the way.

 

Bill perked up, looking over to Tad now, “It went better than I thought, but… I know she’s still upset about everything.”

 

Tad pulled out the food, grabbing a fork from the drawer, and made his way over to the dining table. “Of course, she’s not going to be over everything in a single night. Did you tell her about your status with Dipper?”

 

Bill grimaced, “Yes. And ew. Don’t say status. It makes you sound like you’re in your thirties or something.”

 

“Bill, you’re almost in your thirties.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know, you don’t have to remind me of my old age.”

 

Tad snorted as he watched Bill scarf down his food. A thought popped into his head then suddenly, and he couldn’t help but ask the question,

 

“Are you going to settle down?”

 

Bill stopped mid bite, and a odd sense of deja vu washed over him, “Settle down?”

 

Tad nodded, “You know, get married, get a house, have kids, get a dog, get a job-”

 

“Okay, first of all,” Bill interrupted, “I already know what job I’ll have. I’m gonna be a stay at home dad.”

 

Tad rolled his eyes, “You’re basically a stay at home dad already. What about everything else?”

 

Bill thought about it for a moment. What was he going to do with the rest of his life? He thought about it many times before, but it never seemed to be like a real possibility for him. He’d always been a drifter, albeit a little less when Will came into the picture. Could he really settle down?

 

“You don’t have to answer that now,” Tad said as he walked back into the kitchen. “I was just curious.”

 

Bill stared down at his food. And then suddenly, his mind imagined something.

 

 _He imagined_   _a cute little house, one similar to Tad’s. He imagined Will, a little older, a little taller, sitting in the front yard on a blanket, surrounded by neatly trimmed green grass. He imagined standing next to Will, talking animatedly about something or the other, also looking a bit older. He imagined the front door of the house opening, and suddenly a little girl running outside, her frilly lace dress swaying this way and that, her long hair flying out behind her. He imagined her running to him first, imagined her wrapping her chubby arms around his legs in a hug, imagined her then going over to Will and sitting down beside him on the blanket._

 

_And then he imagined looking back to the front door, seeing someone else step out, someone much taller, someone a little older. His unruly curly hair was pulled back away from his face, revealing his amazing smile, his bright eyes. He imagined the younger man walking over to him, wrapping an arm around his waist, kissing him on the cheek._

 

_And he imagined three soft little words being spoken then, words that made meant so much to them both, words that got them to where they were that day,_

 

_“I love you.”_

 

Bill’s eyes flashed open, widening in shock and surprise and… He moved his hand to partially cover his face, his fingertips brushing his cheeks. His hand jerked away when he felt how hot his face was. He stared at his hand, his mind scattered. _What… what was that?_ The same scene replayed over and over in Bill’s head, and he felt the heat in his face rise each time.

 

He...he and Dipper…

 

_Married… a house… kids…_

 

_Was he really thinking about…?_

 

Bill shook his head, pushing his plate away. In a rush, he said goodnight to Tad and made his way to his room. From the kitchen, Tad heard the bedroom door shut. A smirk formed on his lips, the sight of crimson on Bill’s face as he left still very much visible in his eyes. _What an interesting turn of events_ Tad thought as he turned off the kitchen light.

 

_Who knows what the future will hold for those two._


	14. Déjà Vu

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Op! 'Nother chapter! Sorry that this chapter is on the shorter side, but it's more of a set up for A RLLY BIG EVENT COMING THE NEXT CHAP(s). I got like, a little too excited, and ended up combining to different chapter ideas into one in order to get to the next set of chapters because I really, really, really, REALLY am excited for you all to read them! So, here's a cute lil chap for you all, please enjoy!
> 
> -V

 

**McDreamy: good morning ~**

 

**Bae <3: Good morning!**

 

**McDreamy: guess what**

 

**Bae <3: What?**

 

**McDreamy: jusst guess!**

 

**Bae <3: Ok. Did you get a job?**

 

**McDreamy: jesus no, what do you take me for? a responsible adult?**

 

**Bae <3: Lord forbid you become a responsible adult. Did Will do something?**

 

**McDreamy: other then b awesome, no**

 

**Bae <3: True. Did you actually clean your room?**

 

**McDreamy: i literally clean the house evryday**

 

**Bae <3: But did you clean your room?**

 

**McDreamy: ...no**

 

**McDreamy: but thats not it!**

 

**Bae <3: Could you give me a hint?**

 

**McDreamy: yea, u ;)**

 

**Bae <3: Me? I’m the hint?**

 

**McDreamy: indeed u r sugalips**

 

**Bae <3: I swear to god if you call me sugarlips I will stop talking to you for three weeks. **

 

**McDreamy: :( but thats another hint**

 

**Bae <3: Sugarlips??**

 

**McDreamy: no, 3 weeks**

 

**Bae <3: I still have no idea.**

 

**McDreamy: WOW. weve been dating for like a month now**

 

**Bae <3: Really?**

 

**McDreamy: well more like  4 weeks, 5 days, 10 hours, 12 minutes and 36 seconds**

 

**Bae <3: Wow. Talk about creepy**

 

**McDreamy: *45 seconds, and thats not creepy! its thoughtful**

 

**Bae <3: Creepy. **

 

**McDreamy: whtvr. but i was thinking we could celebrate tonight! r u working?**

 

**Bae <3: Not tonight no, what did you have in mind?**

 

**McDreamy: i was thinkin a nice home cooked dinner, jus u n me ;)**

 

**Bae <3: That does sound nice actually. I’m assuming that I’m cooking dinner though?**

 

**McDreamy: would you rather i cook?**

 

**Bae <3: And eat charcoal for dinner? No thanks. **

 

**McDreamy: SAVAGE >>>**

 

**Bae <3: Does 6 work for you?**

 

**McDreamy: yup!!!!**

 

**Bae <3: Good deal. Can’t wait to celebrate our 4 weeks, 5 days, 10 hours, 12 minutes and 45 seconds anniversary **

 

**McDreamy: excuse you, its our 4 weeks, 5 days, 10 hours, 15 minutes and 13 seconds Anniversary now!**

 

**Bae <3: -_-**

 

**McDreamy: >3>**

 

 

**V^**

 

 

The day inched by slowly. By late afternoon, Dipper had already cleaned his apartment from top to bottom. He currently was sitting on his couch, staring at his phone screen. The time read 3:57. Bill hadn’t texted him back since this morning, not that Dipper was worried about it or anything, but it was nice to talking to the older man to pass time. His lip quirked up in amusement. _Four weeks huh?_ It hadn’t felt like four weeks, truth be told. Hell, it just felt like yesterday when Bill had told him he finally talked to Ashter, sorting some things out with her. To say that Dipper was relieved would be an understatement. He assumed Ashter had told Mabel about it; he hadn’t heard anything from her for a while now. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t worried, but he knew he wouldn’t he able to change Mabel’s mind about the matter.

 

Dipper sighed, tossing his phone onto the cushion beside him. He turned his attention to the ceiling, his mind wondering what to make for dinner…

 

for Bill…

 

who was coming to his apartment tonight…

 

 _alone_...

 

just the two of them…

 

Dipper launched forward off the couch, acutely aware of the heat rising to his face as he started pacing the living space. Bill was coming over tonight, _tonight_ , and was going to be _alone_ with him, no Will suddenly appearing out of nowhere and asking help with his homework, no Tad jumping into the conversation, just Bill, only Bill, _alone_ with Bill.

 

_For the entire evening._

 

Dipper bit at his lip nervously, looking around. Suddenly, the apartment didn’t seem so _clean_ anymore. _Should I clean the apartment again?_ Dipper asked himself fretfully. _I should, shouldn’t I?_ He quickly made his way down the short hallway and into his bedroom, pushing open the door a little too forcefully. The room looked exactly how he left it earlier, the bed was made, the clothes were picked up off the floor, the trash was thrown away, but he suddenly had the urge to double check every little thing.

 

And in the end he ended up double checking everything. The bedroom, the bathroom, the living room, the apartment was completely spotless. Several hours later Dipper found himself standing in the kitchen, staring at his next task.

 

The dishes.

 

He peeked at the clock on the microwave. _5:01 huh? This shouldn’t take too long, then I can start cooking_ he figured, pulling up his long sleeves past his elbows. Dipper set to work, pulling open the dishwasher front and pulling out the first rack. He packed the dirty dishes neatly on the rack, evenly spacing them out. He then pulled out the second rack, pilling in various sized pots and pans. He carefully placed the silverware in their little compartments, and in no time Dipper finished pouring in the dishwashing soap. He added a tad bit more than what he usually used, noting that there wasn’t any harm to cleanliness when it came to clean dishes. He shut the door, set the time, and pressed the start button. The sound of the dishwasher coming alive filled the previous silence of the apartment. He took a step back triumphantly, folding his arms over his chest.

 

After a moment, Dipper stepped out from the kitchen, pulling his shirt off from over his head. Once he made it to his bedroom, he made a beeline to his closet, pulling open the doors and peering inside. Dipper considered all of his options. _Should I wear something nice and fancy? Maybe a button up? Or I could wear a nice t-shirt._ He pulled out a black v-neck, examining it for any hidden stains. He also pulled out a black button up as well, folding the pair of shirts neatly over his arm. He closed the closet doors and made his way over to the bed. He set down the shirts and began unbuttoning his jeans.

 

From somewhere inside the apartment, Dipper heard a loud popping sound.

 

He froze, his jeans halfway past his knees. Slowly he turned to the bedroom door. _What...was that?_ He carefully stepped out of his jeans, moving them off to the side as he walked over to his bedroom door.

 

There was another loud pop sound, causing Dipper to flinch slightly. He peered down the hallway, not finding the sound’s source. His eyes however, spotted a puddle of water coming flowing from the kitchen on the wooden floors. Dipper narrowed his eyes. _What the hell..?_

 

And suddenly, a loud _bang_ rang throughout the apartment, much louder than the popping was, and the sound of following water filled his ears. Dipper rushed down the hallway, nearly slipping on his feet. He grabbed onto the wall for support, and when he turned the corner, his eyes widened in horror.

 

_Shit._

 

 

**V^**

 

 

Bill sat in the passenger seat, mindlessly pulling at one of the rose petals from the bouquet he was holding. “If you keep doing that, you won’t have any flowers left to give him,” Tad told him from the driver’s seat, his eyes locked on the road ahead. Bill rolled his eyes, “It isn’t like I can’t grow more for him.” Nonetheless, he placed the bouquet gently in his lap, internally willing himself to not pull any more petals for the ‘He Likes Me, He Likes Me Not’ game. He ended on ‘He Likes Me’, which seemed like a good place to stop anyway.

 

Will popped into the conversation from the backseat, “Can I have one?”

 

Bill chuckled, plucking one of the roses from the bunch and passing it back to him, “I’m sure Dipper wouldn’t mind if you took one of his flowers.”

 

Will held the rose in his tiny hands, examining its petals closely. Tad peered at him from the rearview mirror, his lips curling into a soft smile. “Does Tad want a rose, too?” he heard Bill say beside him. Tad turned his head to look at Bill, nearly blanching at the sight of Bill suggestively holding a rose between his teeth and wiggling his eyebrows.

 

“What Dipper sees in you I will never know,” he muttered turning his attention back to driving.

 

“Who wouldn’t love all of this,” Bill said, motioning to entirety of himself.

 

“I can think of a few people,” Tad countered, pulling into the apartment parking lot. Once the car was parked, Bill spat the rose out and placed it directly on top of Tad’s knee. Tad gave him an unamused look as Bill climbed out from the seat, grabbing the bouquet and shutting the door behind him. He waved goodbye to the both of them from behind the window, and right as he was about to start the trek to Dipper’s apartment, he heard the loud sound of the car honking. Bill swiveled back around, finding that Tad had rolled down the window.

 

“I want you home no later than eleven pm,” Tad told him. “It’s a school night you know.”

 

Bill rolled his eyes, “Okay _dad_ , I’ll let you know when I need to be picked up.”

 

Tad smiled smugly at Bill, who in turn gave him the bird (after making sure Will wasn’t looking). Bill watched the car back out and disappear down the street, only moving when he could no longer see it. Turning back, Bill took in the sight of the apartment complex, sucking in a huge breath of air.

 

 _You got this man_ Bill told himself as he ascended the stairs. _It’s just going to be you, him, and nice dinner. And possibly a little something extra if you behave. It’d be nice to not have to use your hand-_

 

Bill slapped himself in the face with the bouquet, several leaves falling onto the ground. _Stop thinking weird thoughts_ he commanded his brain.

 

Within minutes, Bill worked his way to Dipper’s apartment. _Or at least I hope this is his apartment_ . The last time he was here was...a month or two ago? Really? _That seems like so long ago, was that really in March? I guess it is already May._ Bill stood outside the door, staring down at one of the roses.

 

_Four weeks huh? I wonder if this is too soon to ask…_

 

He let out an almost shaky breath. _No turning back_ he thought, raising his hand to knock on the door. _Unless this is the wrong apartment. Then I can definitely turn back._

 

He knocked once.

 

No response.

 

He knocked again, a little louder.

 

Still no response.

 

He was about to knock again when suddenly the door flew open. Bill jumped back a few feet, clenching the bouquet close to his chest...which grew extremely tight at the sight of the figure standing in the doorway.

 

It definitely was Dipper’s apartment. The man himself was leaning against the door, panting harder than Bill had ever seen him before. The first thing Bill noticed was his hair. It was completely drenched, as if he had just taken a shower. The wet strands stuck to his forehead, and they were dripping water onto Dipper’s face and neck and shoulders and...The second thing Bill noticed was that Dipper was shirtless as the drops of water slid down his bare chest. Bill watched for a split second how the defined muscles there tightened and untightened with Dipper’s heavy breathing. His eyes traveled down the rest of Dipper’s body, and the third thing Bill noticed was how the younger man was only wearing boxers, and those too were drenched as well...

 

and if he looked closer…

 

he could see…

 

bubbles...?

 

 _Bubbles?_ Bill did a double take, his eyes flashing right back up to Dipper’s face. “Wow. I thought this only happened in my dreams,” Bill quipped smugly, his lips curling into a smile.

 

Dipper’s eyebrow twitched, and without a word, he reached forward and grabbed Bill’s collar. He yanked hard, and the older man stumbled forward into the apartment…

 

Or rather, the bath that somehow had taken over Dipper’s apartment.

 

Bill stood there, dumbstruck, as he looked around. The room was completely flooded with an inch of soapy water. Bubbles covered some of the furniture, and more valuable items were perched on top of the couch or chairs or table. His gaze fell into the kitchen area, where he found the source of the problem. The dishwasher was open, with large amounts of bubbles pouring slowly out of it. Water was spilling out onto the floor, adding the pool that was accumulating in the kitchen. The water for the most part contained to just the living room and kitchen; various towels had been placed in the entryway of the hallway to block the stream from spreading to the rest of the apartment.

 

Bill turned around, spotting Dipper hunched over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. The sight of him like this, completely wet from head to toe, was enough to make Bill blush. Dipper looked up at Bill for a moment.

 

“Are those...for me?” he asked Bill, noting the bouquet in his hands.

 

Bill blinked once, twice, before realizing that he did in fact have a bundle of flowers he was carrying, “Y-yeah. I grew them all myself.”

 

“You grow...flowers?”

 

“Well, technically yes, but I use someone the neighbor’s garden since Tad doesn’t have a backyard. I don’t think they know that I’m using it though.”

 

“How...do they…not know?”

 

“They both work 9-to-5 jobs, so I jump the fence and just water and plant things in the afternoon. Their pomeranian Susie hated me at first but now we’re best friends.”

 

Dipper just stared at Bill, completely lost for words, until he let out a soft chuckle. Dipper stood up fully then, and if the sight of a shirtless Dipper with toned muscle and a _fucking v-line_ intimidated Bill, he didn’t say a single word about it as he handed over the bouquet to him. Dipper held the flowers gently, bringing them up to his nose to smell the freshly cut flowers.

 

“Uh, Dipper?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“What...why is your apartment flooded?”

 

The question snapped Dipper out of his calm daze, bringing his attention immediately to the dishwasher. Bill heard the younger man curse under his breath, and he watched as Dipper set the bouquet on the nearby table and made his way back into the kitchen. “I don’t know what happened, but something broke in the dishwasher and next thing I know, the entire kitchen was covered in bubbles and water,” Dipper explained, grabbing a towel that was lying on the counter. He looked back to Bill, “Would you mind helping me clean this up?”

 

Without hesitating, Bill rolled up his sleeves and walked over to Dipper, crouching down in front of the dishwasher. “I’ll see if I can get it to stop the water flow,” he said, using his hands to shove some of the bubbles out of the way. Dipper nodded, and he set to work soaking up the water on the ground. The pair worked in silence for the most part, that is until Bill made a joke about how Dipper had a kiddie pool in his apartment now.

 

Within the hour, Bill had managed to “fix” the dishwasher (“Bill, I think you actually broke my dishwasher.” “Hey, at least I stopped the water!”) and the pair had cleaned up most of the kitchen and living room from the soapy disaster. Dipper opened up the living room windows in attempts to air out the place from the pungent smell of dishwashing soap, and Bill just finished collecting all of the towels and putting them in a pile to be washed. Just like Dipper, Bill ended up soaked as well, his button up and jeans stained with water and bubbles.

 

“I’d ask if you still wanted me to make dinner, but honestly I’m too tired to cook,” Dipper admitted, sitting on the window sill. Bill looked up from where he sat on the kitchen counter, “Well, we can always go out and get something to eat.”

 

“What sounds good?”

 

Bill mulled it over in his head, lightly tapping his fingers on his lips. Suddenly, an idea came to mind, and he grinned broadly, “I know the perfect place!”

 

 

**V^**

 

 

“I’m getting a weird sense of déjà vu right now.”

 

Bill snorted, “What makes you say that?”

 

“Well…” Dipper looked around, finding several patrons to be staring at them both as they ate. Even for it being so late in the evening, there were still quite a few people at the establishment, including themselves, the center of attention. “...Probably because two grown men whose clothes are soaked with so much water that one of the employees had to get a mop bucket are eating at a Taco Bell and getting stared at by every person in the place.”

 

Bill bit into his taco, his eyebrow raised, “Has that happened to you once before?”

 

“Not under this particular situation no, but the getting stared at for looking out of place, yes.”

 

Bill hummed, catching onto what Dipper was getting at now, “I’d rather be soaked than in my wedding suit though.”

 

Dipper nodded, taking a sip of his drink, “Have you heard from Ashter lately?”

 

“The last I heard from her was about a week ago,” Bill said thoughtfully as he ate. “She seems to be liking her new position a lot, so I’m not too worried really.”

 

Dipper nodded, stealing one of Bill’s chips off his makeshift plate, “That’s good. I’m glad you two are getting along again.”

 

Bill slowed his chewing, his eyes landing on the chips and salsa in front of him. “Yeah...before the whole engagement thing, we were pretty much best friends. We met during my last year in college at a theater rehearsal, and we hit it off right then and there. Although I didn’t know she started liking me until way, way later.”

 

Dipper was slightly taken aback by the sudden look of fondness in Bill’s eyes, and he too slowly stopped eating to listen to him talk.

 

“To say the least I’m glad we’re talking again,” Bill admitted. “Even if it’s a little awkward, you know?”

 

Dipper smiled softly at that, though he felt a nagging feeling in the bottom of his stomach, “Yeah...wish I could say the same for Mabel.”

 

“She hasn’t spoken to you since…?”

 

Dipper nodded sadly, “I think she’s still mad about all of it.”

 

Bill studied Dipper for a moment, his eyes roaming over the younger man’s face. He hated how upset Dipper looked then. He hated how he knew Dipper still felt guilty. And he hated not knowing how to fix that. He felt the urge to touch Dipper’s face, to gently hold it, caress his cheeks. He felt the urge to make Dipper feel better somehow. And he felt the urge to whisk the younger man away into his American Dream.

 

Bill thought it would be best to change the subject. He didn’t want Dipper to think of something sad, something dreary. Instead, Bill found it suiting to ask Dipper what he’d been meaning to ask him for a while now.

 

“So…” Bill began, poking at his food now, “Do you have any plans for the summer?”

 

Dipper leaned back just a tad, mentally going over his schedule. “Just working I think. Why?”

 

“Just wondering!” Bill insisted with a sly smile, throwing around his hands to exaggerate. “Summer plans are always tricky. Will’s getting out of school here pretty soon, and I’m sure he’d be _begging_ to go up to Oregon again.”

 

Dipper quirked an eyebrow at that, “What’s in Oregon?”

 

Bill could tell Dipper was interested now, it was written all over his face, and if him leaning over the table wasn’t an indication, Bill didn’t know what was.

 

“Tad’s family owns a vacation home up there, a real cozy little cabin and an acre of pure forestry,” Bill explained with a grin.

 

“Really? How long are you guys up there?”

 

“About a week or so, sometimes longer. Will spends most of the days there exploring the forest. I usually go along with him, and Tad for the most part does whatever he does around the cabin.”

 

“That sounds… really amazing actually. And like a lot of fun.”

 

Bill leaned back in his chair, resting it on it’s hind legs, “Yup! It always is. Although, Will was wondering if a certain _someone_ would come along.” _And by Will I totally mean me_ Bill added silently.

 

Dipper’s eyes lit up, “W-what? Really?”

 

“But,” Bill said as he threw his arms into the air in a stretch, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I’m sure work will keep you busy-”

 

“When’s the trip?” Dipper asked, interrupting Bill’s sentence.

 

“The last week of May going into June,” Bill provided with a smirk. He could feel Dipper’s eagerness from across the table, and honestly it made him eager and excited too.

 

“I would love to go!” Dipper rushed then, smiling broadly.

 

Bill hadn’t realized that he moved until suddenly he was standing, leaning over the table, leaning towards Dipper. His hands moved of their own accord when they reached up to smooth over Dipper’s cheek, to run through his damp hair, to hold the back of his neck, to pull him closer. He tilted his head just so, and soon Bill’s lips met Dipper’s. Behind closed eyes Bill could hear the sudden intake of breath, followed by the sensation of a tight grip on his sleeve.The kiss couldn’t have lasted for more than five seconds, but when they pulled apart Dipper felt like he’d lost all of the oxygen in his lungs.

 

“Good,” Bill breathed, still holding onto Dipper. “I would love for you to come.”


	15. Marie and the Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A.K.A. The Vacation pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT HAS BEGUN. MY FAVORITE PART SO FAR IN THIS STORY. AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! (Im excited, can you tell?)
> 
> This portion of the story will take place over two chapters, a part 1 and a part 2. And both parts are incredibly long, or at least longer than what I normally write for a single chapter. Aggghhh, I'm just so excited for you all to read these couple chapters, you have no idea x3
> 
> Enjoy reading you lovely people!!
> 
> -V
> 
> (Personal sidebar: @meirallios on tumblr, check your messages!! I haven't been on tumblr in so long so I didn't see your message until today)

“Are you sure this isn’t too early?”

 

Dipper stopped folding up one of his shirts and turned to his sullen looking sister sitting on his bed. Mabel had come over not too long ago, unannounced, and visibly bothered, but by what she never did say. Dipper was surprised by her arrival, and at first was extremely hopeful. However as the early morning progressed, he grew a hunch as to the real reason for his sister’s visit.

 

Dipper gave her a sideways glance, “Isn’t too early for what?”

 

“I mean, going on this little...trip,” she huffed, rubbing at one of her temples. “With _them_.”

 

He grew quiet then, but continued on to fold his shirt and place it neatly in his duffel bag. The thought surely did cross his mind several times, but he never did think about it too hard. But the way Mabel put it made it seem like going on the small vacation would be a _mistake_ , and Dipper never thought that once. Was it a mistake for Dipper to want to spend time with them all? To have fun and visit somewhere he’s never been? _No_ Dipper answered in his head. _It isn’t a mistake to want those things_.

 

They sat in relative silence as Dipper finished packing. Mabel stole glances at her brother every so often, looking for some sort of hint of anything, hesitation, worry, irritation. But instead she saw nothing but a soft smile on his face and a look in his eyes that Mabel knew wasn’t for her. She turned her gaze to the floor again, deciding to watch her feet as she shuffled them across the floor.

 

“When are you leaving?” she questioned.

 

“Later on this afternoon,” he answered almost immediately. “Our flight is leaving around 1:30.”

 

Mabel checked the time on her phone. “I guess you should probably start heading over there then.”

 

Dipper nodded, zipping up his duffel bag and slugging it over his shoulders.

 

“Do you have everything you need?” Mabel couldn’t help but ask. Despite the circumstances, she still worried about her brother.

 

“I should, yeah,” Dipper replied, picking up his phone off the bed. He’d gotten a couple of messages from Bill, all of which were varying ways of saying how excited he was for Dipper to be coming along on the trip. Dipper responded to them all eagerly, making his way out of his bedroom. Mabel too got up off the bed, hearing it creak slightly as she did so, and closely followed Dipper out. She trained her eyes on the small of his back, her mind blank as they walked the short distance to the living room. When she had gotten there earlier, Mabel noticed the discoloration of the wooden floors, as if it had soaked up water, but she didn’t comment on it.

 

Dipper set his duffel down on the couch and headed into the kitchen. Mabel sat on the couch, her hands fiddling with the duffel strap. “How long will you be gone?” she asked for the sake of filling the silence. “About a week or so,” Dipper replied, grabbing his coffee cup and heading back over to the couch. He picked up his bag again, and Mabel rose to her feet.

 

Brother and sister stood there, facing each other silently. Dipper looked down at his older sister, and Mabel looked up at her younger brother. They both wanted to say so much, but couldn’t find the words to say them, or the energy to start that conversation again. So instead, the older sister reached up to her younger brother, wrapping her arms around him, and gave him a hug goodbye. She rested her cheek against his shoulder, and she let out an inaudible sigh when she felt him hug back back tentatively.

 

“Have a safe flight.”

 

“I will.”

 

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

 

“I won’t.”

 

“...Be careful.”

 

“...”

 

Mabel gave him one last squeeze before letting go.

 

 

**V^**

 

 

“I spy with my little eye...something...green!”

 

“Will we are surrounded by green things, you’re going to have to be more specific.”

 

“But the whole point of the game is for you to guess what I’m spying,” Will argued, crossing his arms. From beside him, Bill chuckled, giving in, “Okay, okay, is it a tree?”

 

Dipper peaked into the rear view mirror, watching the brothers play their game. They had been going at it ever since they got in the rental car at the airport, naming off cars and buildings and signs and everything in between. In the driver’s seat sat Ted simply content with not having to be on the plane anymore. Dipper sat in the passenger seat, leaning his weight on the door and gazing outside, watching the scenery go by. He couldn’t help but think how different it was from being inside the city. The last town they passed was thirty minutes in the opposite direction, and the narrow dirt road they traveled on continued to wind upwards into the mountains. They hadn’t passed a single car since that strange little town, it made Dipper wonder if this stretch of road also belonged to the property owners.

 

The trees passed by in comforting green blurs, and Dipper felt like he was watching a cinematic movie. They were in full bloom, their branches covered in brightly colored leaves in contrast to the darkening blue sky. It seemed like the number of trees were only increasing as Tad drove onwards, becoming more dense with each passing second. Dipper’s thoughts trailed back to the conversation he had with Bill earlier that day.

 

“The place is surrounded by trees,” Bill had said to him on the plane ride there. “If you could see above the branches, the treeline would probably stretch for miles and miles.”

 

Dipper hummed, his head rested on Bill’s shoulder as he looked out the plane window. “Tell me more.”

 

Bill smiled, his hand finding Dipper’s and lacing their fingers together, “It’s quiet. Really quiet, at least compared to the city. And the views are to die for, especially from the master bedroom. My favorite thing about the cabin though is the evenings. It’s covered with windows to let in the natural light, and when the sun sets it casts the entire cabin in a golden light. Sometimes we sit on the roof to stargaze too. You can literally see every single star in the sky. It’s probably the third most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

 

“What’s the second?” Dipper asked, his eyebrow quirked.

 

“You.”

 

“Wait…what’s the first then?”

 

“Well…there was this one time I was at Taco Bell and I ordered the fiesta pizza-”

 

Dipper hit a laughing Bill with an empty water bottle.

 

Now, with Dipper in the passenger seat, his empty water bottle sitting at his feet, he could easily imagine that: the night starry sky, the endless treeline, the golden light. It all sounded so wonderful, so dreamlike, and Dipper was eager to arrive at their destination. He listened to the brothers play in the backseat as if it were soothing background noise, and every so often he’d glance over to Tad. He was driving so calmly, as if he’d taken this drive a hundred times, with one hand on the wheel and the other outside the car, the air breezing past his fingers.

 

“How long have your parents had the cabin?” Dipper asked him after a while. Will was sleeping now, his tiredness finally catching up to him, and Bill seemed to be resting as well, though Dipper had a feeling that the older man just had his eyes closed.

 

Tad perked up at the question, “For a while now actually. They bought it hoping to use it every year, but they haven’t been used it since I graduated high school. I’ve used it a couple times during college, but I use it even more now that those two are living with me.”

 

Dipper’s eyes flickered to the rear view mirror, observing the resting brothers. “When did they start living with you?”

 

“Well, Bill came to stay with me as my roommate after college. And Will...came a little while after.” Tad shifted awkwardly in his seat, looking into the rearview mirror, trying to see if Bill was really asleep or not. As he continued to speak, Tad barely spoke above a whisper, “I’m sure you already know about it, but there was… an _accident_ in the family. I don’t know much about their relationship with the rest of their family, but after the incident Bill refused to let Will stay with their dad.”

 

Dipper couldn’t take his eyes off Tad. It was as if the man was having war flashbacks.

 

“In the end I helped him obtain full custody of Will,” Tad murmured. “It was a nightmarish hell for everyone.”

 

Tad fell silent, and Dipper chanced another look in the backseat. He sat the very last second of Bill’s eyes closing shut again.

 

The rest of the ride there was quiet, Dipper taking to closing his eyes and resting as much as he could. He didn’t realize that at some point he’d fallen asleep until his eyes fluttered open at the sound of Tad putting the car in park.

 

“We’re here,” Tad announced, mostly to Dipper though, since Will and Bill were already out of the car and getting the bags from the trunk. Dipper sat up straight, rubbing his tired eyes lazily. His passenger door opened, revealing Bill carrying Dipper’s duffle. “Are you going to get out of the car?” he asked jokingly, leaning inside to give Dipper a quick kiss. Dipper returned the affection his eyes half closed, his drowsiness now in full force.

 

Bill looked down at the tired man with a pitiful smile, then he turned to Tad and said something Dipper couldn’t quite make out. The next thing Dipper knew he was being hoisted up out of the car and onto his feet, leaning completely on Bill as the older man kept him upright. “You’re a lot heavier than you look,” Bill huffed, looping an arm around Dipper’s waist. Dipper let out a long yawn, covering his mouth as he did so, “It’s 100% pure muscle.”

 

“I don’t know if I should laugh or be jealous,” Bill admitted as they walked to the front entrance.

 

“Both,” Dipper answered smugly.

 

“How are you even more sarcastic when you’re tired?” Bill questioned hypothetically with a laugh.

 

In his tired haze, Dipper missed much of the scenery on the way inside, and missed much of the scenery inside the cabin as well. He focused more on taking one step at a time, and he could have sworn he heard Will laughing at him. Bill led him through the house, passing most of the rooms and heading straight towards a spiral staircase. Bill took the stairs slowly for Dipper’s sake, but his tight and fidgeting grip on his waist made Dipper think Bill was excited for something. The staircase led up to the second floor, and, presumably, where the bedrooms were. They passed several doors before Bill finally stopped in front of the last one. With his free hand, Bill grasped the doorknob and turned, pushing the door wide open.

 

A dull, gold light shone brightly in Dipper’s face once the door was fully opened. He covered his eyes with his hand, squinting a little to see properly, but when his eyes adjusted to the light his jaw dropped.

 

The bedroom, the _master bedroom_ , was large, much larger than Dipper’s own room. A king sized bed was placed center against the cream back wall, decorated simply with clean, white sheets and white pillows. There were hand made wooden night stands on either side of the bed, and tall lamps situated on them perfectly. On the left side of the room was a love seat, rocking chair, and low coffee table, as well as a small stone fireplace. A soft, fluffy rug was placed under the furniture, and Dipper could already imagine how soft it would feel under his feet. On the other side of the room were a pair of deep brown dressers and a large propped up mirror, and even further, along the other wall…

 

Dipper left Bill standing in the doorway as he walked over to the massive window. It stretched from floor to ceiling, wall to wall. He pressed his hand against the glass, leaning close to it as he peered outside. “This is incredible,” he whispered softly, his breath fogging a portion of the window. Dipper felt a pair of arms winding around his waist again. “I told you so,” Bill murmured, resting his chin on Dipper’s shoulder.

 

The height of the second floor didn’t surpass the height of the trees in the slightest. The dull golden light came from outside, seeping through the leaves and the branches. And when those trees swayed with the wind, their branches moved, and with it that golden light danced between them, casting its shadows along the interior walls of the bedroom. Everything about the view was perfect: the bloomed trees, the vibrant colors, the very liveliness of nature it portrayed was enough to leave Dipper breathless.

 

“This is where we will be sleeping,” Bill informed him after a while, turning his head to nudge his nose against Dipper’s neck. “Is that okay?”

 

Dipper welcomed the pleasant shiver that ran down his spine, “That’s perfect.”

 

Bill hummed appreciatively, and Dipper bent down his head to capture Bill’s lips with his own. They kissed slow, simply enjoying each other’s presence in that moment. Bill tugged at Dipper’s waist, beckoning the man to move his feet and walk away from the window. They moved unsteadily towards the bed, their limbs knocking into each other briefly, neither refusing to end the kissing first. Dipper felt the back of his knees bump into the bedside, and with a gentle push he and Bill toppled onto the bed, the sheets rippling from their contact.

 

From downstairs, Bill heard Tad calling his name, telling him to come down. Bill groaned with annoyance into the kiss, and finally the pair separated as Bill lifted himself off Dipper. Dipper turned a shade of pink when Bill pecked one last kiss on his lips, then on his cheeks, his nose, and finally his forehead. “I will be right back,” he promised, rolling off the bed and standing. Dipper waved lazily at him from below, and Bill couldn’t stop thinking about how adorable the action was.

 

Bill rushed over to the door, stepping outside the bedroom quickly. He wasn’t gone for but a moment, returning to the bedroom several minutes later and slightly out of breath from taking the stairs two steps at a time. He peeked into the bedroom first, happy to find that Dipper was still lying on the sheets. Bill snuck into the room quietly, tiptoeing over to the bed and ready to pounce when a sudden noise reached his ears.

 

A soft, snoring sound.

 

Bill looked down at the bed, and to his surprise he found Dipper, resting peacefully, his chest rising and falling slowly. Bill froze there, staring at the sleeping man with a strange clenching feeling in his chest. Careful to not wake him up, Bill knelt one knee on the bed, next to Dipper’s thigh, and he bent down to hover over his sleeping form. He braced one arm beside Dipper’s head, and used his free hand to brush back the hair from Dipper’s face. He smoothed his palm over Dipper’s check, cupping his face gently.

 

 _He looks so peaceful_ Bill thought, his eyes tracing over the curves of his lips, the bridge of his nose, the arch of his eyebrows. _I wonder what he dreams about at night._ Bill bent down, giving Dipper a delicate good night kiss before pulling off of him.

 

From outside, that golden light faded to a darkened pink, the sun falling even further into the sky.

 

 

**V^**

 

 

When morning came, Dipper woke up to the feeling of someone’s arm wrapped around him, warmth pressed against his back and the tingling sensation of puffs of breath against his neck. He blinked his eyes open, squinting a little as the early morning rays poured into the bedroom. He closed his eyes, wishing to stay in the bed next to the warmth a little longer, but the familiar feeling of hunger was eating away at his stomach. Doing his best not to disturb his sleeping partner, Dipper pulled himself out of bed, stretching his legs as he stood. He spotted his duffel bag next to one of the dressers and wandered over to it, pulling off his shirt on the way.

 

He dressed quickly, eager to get some food in his stomach, but also for another reason as well. He took one last glance towards the bed, seeing Bill’s shirtless, sleeping form resting peacefully. Dipper’s heart skipped a beat at the sight, but his stomach told him his priority then was food, food, food.

 

Dipper stumbled out of the bedroom, peering down the hallways curiously. He followed the hallway down to the staircase he climbed with Bill the other day, and he made his way to the first floor. He never did get a good look at the interior, or exterior, when he arrived to the cabin, but the sight of it all was similar to how he’d felt when he saw the master bedroom. It was as if the interior had been plucked out from a magazine. At his right was the dining room and accompanying kitchen, and to his left was a reading room stocked with shelves full of books and nic nacs. Further down was the massive living room, complete with couches and tables, a stone fireplace like the one in the master bedroom, as well as ornate chandelier like light fixtures. The style was very rustic in nature with complimenting green and blue and red furniture all throughout the rooms. Soft rugs littered the floors, some mismatched in color and some fake animal skins.  

 

 _I wonder how much money Tad’s parents put into this place_ Dipper couldn’t help but ask as he walked down to the kitchen. In contrast to its rustic counterpart, the appliances were pretty modern and sleek, pretty silvers and greys and whites decorating the counter tops and walls. Dipper immediately went over to the fridge and pulled it open. His eyes widened at the large amount of food on the shelves, and he had no idea where to even start.

 

The soft padding of bare feet approaching drew him away from the food paradise, and he saw Will walking over, blanket in hand, yawning widely. Dipper chuckled, shutting the fridge door in favor of talking to Will, “Good morning.”

 

Dipper could have laughed at the way Will startled, as if he hadn’t seen Dipper there at first, but he immediately returned the sentiment with a tired smile, “Good morning.” He plopped himself down center on the kitchen floor, wrapping his blankets around his body. Dipper followed suit as well, sitting down right in front of the young boy.

 

“Did you sleep well?” Dipper asked.

 

Will nodded, “I haven’t been having any nightmares lately.”

 

“That’s good to hear! I was worried about you ya know.”

 

Will smiled and scooted closer to Dipper to rest his head on his bicep.

 

“So,” Dipper continued, making conversation, “Bill tells me that you’ve done a lot of exploring here?”

 

Will’s face lit up. “Yup! I always find something new, once I found a huge cave with Bill. We tried going inside but we found a sleeping bear and had to run away!”

 

Dipper had flashbacks to the zoo, and he wondered why Bill always ended up facing off wild animals.

 

“Actually,” Will went on, “I was wondering if you wanted to go exploring today? You don’t have to if you don’t want to though.”

 

“I’d love to though,” Dipper interjected, ruffling the young boy’s hair playfully. “How about we set out after lunch?”

 

Will nodded eagerly, and right at that moment Bill emerged into view, his hair wild and his pajamas hanging loosely off him. “Buenos días,” he yawned, rubbing his bleary eyes. Will hopped up from the floor,  latching his arms around Bill’s legs.

 

“*Tengo hambre,” Will whined to Bill, refusing to let go of him.

 

“*Sí, sí, sí, voy a hacer desayuno,” Bill yawned again, ruffling Will’s hair.

 

Dipper had no idea what they were saying, but he couldn’t help but chuckle at the two bantering back and forth.

 

 

**V^**

 

 

“You keep up better than Bill does,” Will commented as he jumped down from a rock onto the ground. Dipper laughed, “I exercise on a regular basis. I could probably carry you the entire time we’re out here.” He followed Will’s path, hopping down from the rock they had been climbing on.

 

The pair had been exploring the forest since lunch, and Dipper could only imagine how far away from the cabin they were now. The forest was more alive than Dipper had realized. So far they had seen several deer and rabbits and birds (and, according to Will, a gnome), as well as numerous beautiful flowers and plants. Dipper was tempted to bring back some to put in the master bedroom, and he decided to do so on the trek back. The trees seemed to be even taller than Dipper previously thought, especially when he stood next to time. Twice now Will expressed interest in a tree climbing contest, but Dipper managed to persuade him otherwise, not wanting the younger boy to get hurt.

 

They filled the time with conversations about Will’s school and Dipper’s job, observations of the wildlife they made, or anything that came to mind really. Dipper rather enjoyed spending time with the youngest Cipher brother. In a way, he was just like the eldest, albeit a little more tame and a lot smaller. But, none the less, Dipper was happy to be in his company.

 

“Could you really?” Will asked excitedly. “I wanna be as tall as you!”

 

Dipper bent down by the knees and extended his arms backwards, “Hop on!”

 

Will braced his hands on Dipper’s shoulders and hoisted himself upwards. Dipper held onto his legs and jumped up once to get the boy sitting higher, causing Will to laugh aloud. Grinning, Dipper twirled around, and Will laughed even louder, wrapping his arms around Dipper’s neck to hold on tight. “You ready?” Dipper asked above him, and without warning, he began to run forward.

 

Will cheered Dipper on, a large grin plastered on his face. Dipper ran for quite some time, much to his own surprise, but the further along they went the more and more a certain sound got louder. It caught his attention, and Dipper slowed his stride down to a walk.

 

“What’s the matter?” Will asked from above. Dipper tilted his head to Will, “Do you hear that?” They grew silent, trying to make out the sound.

 

“It sounds...like water?” Will thought aloud.

 

Dipper picked up his pace, following the sound as best as he could. After several minutes, in the distance Dipper could see the trees clearing. When he reached that edge, he stopped completely, surprised by what he saw.

 

“Did you know there was a lake here?” Dipper asked, kneeling down so that Will could get off him.

 

Will didn’t reply as he walked up to the shoreline, Dipper following close behind. The lake wasn’t a big one by any means, but that didn’t make it any less mesmerizing. The water mirrored the clash of greens and blues of the trees and skies from above, and leaves floated gracefully on the surface. Those colors rippled beautifully as the wind blew lightly, shaking the trees. Some of the trees leaned over the lake, branches just barely breaking the surface while vines swung to meet it. Several large rocks covered in moss lined the shore where grass caved to meet the water.

 

Dipper had a sudden urge to jump into the lake, and from the looks of it, so did Will. Dipper bent down by the knees to dip a hand into the water. “It’s warm,” he commented, running his hand back and forth. Will knelt down and did the same, scooping out some of the water in his hand. When he turned to Dipper, he had a huge grin on his face. “We should bring Bill and Tad!” he proposed, “I bet they would love this!”

 

Dipper laughed, “I bet so too, but first we have to get back to the cabin.” Dipper rose to his feet, as did Will, and with one last look they began the trek back. They followed the path they had taken,  their strides quick with excitement. The only thing they talked about was the lake, and the time seemed to pass faster, their surroundings seemed to go by faster, and it seemed like within just a few short minutes they were walking with a view of the cabin from afar.

 

The pair walked into the cabin from the back door that led to the kitchen. That’s where they found Tad and Bill, both idly talking and holding mugs in their hands. Bill looked over to them and whistled loudly, “Wow, you two look like you just ran a marathon.”

 

“Or like they just ran through the woods,” Tad offered, taking a sip of his drink.

 

Dipper looked down at their clothes and was surprised to see just how dirty they were. Smears of green and dirt were on their sleeves, while more dirt had gotten onto their jeans and shoes. Dipper guessed that they also smelled of the outdoors as well, having been out there for so long.

 

“You two had better clean up before dinner,” Tad advised in his dad voice.

 

“It’s almost time to eat?” Dipper asked, bewildered, as he pulled out his phone to check the time.

 

“You were gone for a couple hours at least,” Bill told them. “For a little bit I was worried you guys got lost or something.”

 

Dipper looked down at Will, “It didn’t seem that long, huh?” Will nodded, turning back to Bill and Tad, “We found something really cool though!”

 

“Cooler than the dragon we found?” Bill challenged. The question startled Dipper, _a dragon? What?_ But he didn’t get a chance to ask what Bill meant by that as Will continued on.

 

“Way cooler! You have to go see it, you too Tad!”

 

“It’s getting pretty late already,” Tad noted, looking out the kitchen window. “Maybe we could all go see it tomorrow afternoon?”

 

“But we won’t see it at all if you don’t get cleaned up,” Bill iterated, setting down his mug and urging Will out of the kitchen and following him upstairs. Tad and Dipper watched the pair go with amused looks on their faces. Dipper turned back to Tad, “Do you need any help with dinner?”

 

Tad shook his head, “I should be good, but I could use the company.”

 

Dipper happily obliged, pulling a chair from the dining room into the kitchen to sit. He watched Tad flit around the kitchen, grabbing and preparing ingredients with ease. “Where did you learn to cook?” Dipper asked curiously.

 

“Ashter,” Tad said simply. “She and I were never really close, but whenever I ran into her she was always making something. I guess you could say I picked up quite a bit from her.”

 

Dipper nodded, and right as he was about to ask another question, Bill came back to the kitchen, his arms stretched high into the air. He spotted Dipper sitting in the chair, and he made a beeline right to him, plopping himself right into Dipper’s lap. He adjusted himself so he could hook his arms around Dipper’s neck, his legs dangling off to the side. Bill closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

 

“You smell like sweat and pine trees,” Bill commented, _“I like it._ ”

 

Dipper blushed deeply, and Tad threw a wooden spoon at Bill, hitting his side with a thud. Bill flinched inwards, opening his eyes to glare at Tad, “What was that for?!”

 

“Keep it in your pants or take it to the bedroom,” Tad complained. “I will not have a mess in the kitchen that isn’t food related.”

 

That only made Dipper blush harder, and Bill howled with laughter at the sight.

 

 

**V^**

 

 

The next afternoon, Will and Dipper led Bill and Tad on the path to the hidden gem they found. The entire time Bill kept guessing what said hidden gem could be, but Will kept it under tight wraps, wanting it to be a surprise. Tad was mostly just along for the ride, happy to be outdoors in the nice weather. Dipper knew they were approaching their destination, he could hear the sound of the water moving in the distance. It wasn’t too long before the trees began to grow sparse, opening to the clearing where the lake was at. He, Bill, and Tad watched as Will ran ahead with excitement. Dipper smiled after him, calling out and saying to be careful.

 

“So, Dipper, can you tell me what it is?” Bill asked, poking at his bicep. Dipper swatted away the offending hand, “No way! I promised Will it’d be a surprise. Besides, we’re getting close anyway.”

 

After a couple more minutes of walking, the little lake came into Dipper’s view. The trio stepped out into the opening, halting in their tracks to observe the water. It was just like how Dipper had seen it yesterday, just as pretty as before.

 

“Wow,” Tad mumbled under his breath. “I didn’t know this was back here.”

 

“Will didn’t know either,” Dipper said. “When he first saw it he wanted to jump right in.”

 

Tad chuckled, “Well I guess that’s good then.”

 

Dipper turned to Bill, but before any words left him he froze. Bill’s positive demeanor seemed to have been crushed completely, his eyes wide and his eyebrows scrunched together. His body was stiff and rigid like Dipper had never seen before, and his face was so pale. His chest rose and fell quickly, as if his breaths were growing shorter and shorter with every passing second. Everything in his posture screamed that something was wrong, and immediately Dipper’s worry went through the roof.

 

“Bill what’s wrong?” Dipper whispered, raising his hand to Bill’s shoulder. Bill flinched under the sudden touch, and Dipper retracted his hand quickly, his own eyes widened with shock. Bill’s never... _flinched_ like that,  never moved away from him like _that_. Bill seemed to notice his out of character reaction, and he quickly feigned a smile, “Sorry, I just...remembered something.” His smile twitched, and a sharp pain shot through Dipper’s heart.

 

_My heart…?_

 

Will called Bill over to the water’s shore, and Dipper watched as Bill took one hesitant step after another. He stood a good couple feet away from the water line, even when Will urged him closer. From afar, Dipper could see his fingers twitching slightly, his shoulders tense.

 

He turned to Tad, his voice low and urgent, “Tad what is wrong with Bill?”

 

Tad didn’t look at Dipper, but rather at Bill with a sad smile. “I thought he had gotten over it...but I guess I was wrong.”

 

“Gotten over what?” Dipper asked with worry.

 

“Marie...and the water.”

 

Dipper turned slowly to face the lake, watching the eldest Cipher stand next to the youngest. “Marie? Was she…?”

 

“Their mother? Yes.” Tad’s voice lowered a couple notches, as if he were fearful of Bill overhearing. “They all we together when it happened, when the boat tipped over. Bill told me that… when it happened, he had a choice, either save Will or Marie.

 

And she told him to save Will instead of herself.”

 

Dipper felt like his breathing had stopped. His heart clenched tightly, painfully, worriedly. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t know if he could say _anything_.

 

Tad continued on, his voice so full of sorrow it made Dipper hurt even worse, “Ever since then Bill’s had a fear of bodies of water. He blames himself for everything that happened, and I haven’t been able to convince him otherwise. Every time I bring it up he gets upset, so we just don’t talk about it unless we have to.”

 

 _Bill blames himself for what happened? But why?_ The question circled in Dipper head violently.   _Why does he blame himself?_

 

It was then when an odd thought struck him suddenly. It was a simple thought, a simple _desire_ , one led by an such an overwhelming force that it could knock him off his feet if it wanted to, and he wouldn’t be fazed in the slightest. In fact, he wanted it to, begged it to, prayed for it to.

 

And Dipper couldn’t help but hope that it wasn’t too early to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “*Tengo hambre,” - "I'm hungry."
> 
> “*Sí, sí, sí, voy a hacer desayuno,” - "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I will make breakfast."


	16. Candle Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A.K.A. The Vacation pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! You know that feeling when you suddenly realize that time has gone by like way too fast? I've been having a lot of that the past week and it's been crazy messing with my head. Like oh my god it's practically summer already. SUMMER. AHHHHH. 
> 
> However in lieu of the dreaded finals week, and also working a part time job, I will be going on a very, very brief hiatus until the beginning of June or so. But, I'm taking that time to plan out a summer writing project for y'all (another billdip story!), so look forward to that! It's gonna be hella cute, like I'm so excited for it! 
> 
> So of course, thank you all for reading, commenting, kudoing, etc. You all are wonderful individuals :)
> 
> Enjoy reading!
> 
> -V
> 
> (also sorry for any weirdness in this particular chapter, I had a little tiny writers block so I hope it doesn't show too much @.@ )

That evening, Dipper got to work.

 

When they all made it back to the cabin, Bill turned in early, blaming a “headache” that he had gotten on the walk back. Dipper knew it wasn’t a headache that was bothering him, but he didn’t say a word to the older man when he disappeared upstairs to the master bedroom.

 

Dinner that night was awkward, with Will asking numerous questions about Bill’s sudden “headache” and Dipper and Tad unable to answer said questions fully. The questioning really only ceased when Tad ushered the young boy upstairs to bed.

 

And once Tad had bid him good night, Dipper took that opportunity, in the silence of the sleeping night, to start his self appointed mission.

  


V^

  


Will peeked into the room again, making sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. And sure enough, they weren’t. There was Dipper, his head resting in his folded arms on the table, still dressed in his clothes from the day before. But that wasn’t what caught him off guard.

 

It was the candles.

 

Candles in all different shapes and sizes, from tall and skinny to short and thick; there weren’t very many, but they littered the dining table in their number. From where he stood, Will could see the ones that rolled onto the floor, and some having rolled across the room. It was odd, Will didn’t even realize that they had this many candles in the cabin, and he couldn’t help but wonder just how long the man had been up collecting them and scouring the cabin.

 

From the way his shoulders rose and fell, Will could tell the older man was sleeping soundly. He didn’t really want to wake Dipper up, but he got a feeling that the candles were all here for a reason, although for what specifically he hadn’t the slightest clue. Will tiptoed his way over to Dipper, careful to not step on any of the fallen candles. When he made it right next to his sleeping form, Will reached out a small chubby hand and shook Dipper’s forearm.

 

“Pinetree...Pinetree, wake up…”

 

He shook the man several moments longer before he started to stir. Will took a slight step back, giving Dipper some space as he slowly lifted his head up and blinked his bleary eyes. He sat up in the chair, his joints popping softly from the weird sleeping position. “Will…?” he asked, getting interrupted by a sudden yawn.

 

“The one and only,” Will supplied with a tiny smile, turning to look at the candles.

 

Dipper chuckled lightly, “You sound like your brother.” And suddenly, as if the mention of Bill snapped him to attention, Dipper’s eyes widened, and he became fully awake and aware in an instant. His eyes darted quickly across the table, the floor, and he muttered something under his breath that Will couldn’t quite make out.

 

“Will,” he began, rising up from the chair, pushing it back, “Would you happen to have a couple of boxes to put these all in?”

 

Will blinked, unsure, but his mind sparked with an alternative, “We have laundry baskets upstairs!”

 

“That works! Can you go get some for me please?” Dipper urged.

 

“Only if you tell me what these are for.”

 

“Deal.”

 

They both shook hands.

 

Will started for the staircase, his tiny legs carrying him quickly up the steps. He was surprised to find that he was kind of excited. He’s helping Dipper with something _secretive_ . And something that involved _Bill_ . But what could Dipper possibly be doing with so many candles? Will thought about it so hard that he bumped into something- some _one_ \- in the hallway. He fell a step backwards, doing his best to keep his balance.

 

“You seem to be in a hurry.”

 

He froze.

 

 _Bill_.

 

Will looked up at his brother, his hair it’s usual wild mess as it was in the morning and dressed in a pair of baggy basketball shorts.

 

“W-what? I’m not in a h-hurry!” Will insisted shakily.

 

Bill looked down at his brother with concern, and he knelt down and pressed the back of his palm against Will’s forehead, “Is something wrong? Your face is really red, you might be getting a cold-”

 

Will flinched back at the touch, and both he and Bill froze.

 

“I’m…” Will didn’t know what to say, he didn’t want to _lie_ but… “I’m not sick, p-promise.”

 

“...Alright,” Bill said, leaning back on his haunches. “But you’re acting weird.”

 

“What? I’m not acting weird!” Will said defensively. “You’re acting weird!”

 

“I always act weird, that’s nothing new. But you, you never act weird unless…”

 

“...Unless…?”

 

“You’re up to something you shouldn’t be.”

 

Will panicked. What could he say to get out of this situation? He opened his mouth but no words made it past his lips and he felt like he was sweating bullets and Will knew that his brother was capable of making him tell the truth. It was if it was the flick of a light switch, Bill could go from fun and games to strict parenting mode, and every single time he thought Will was lying Bill would give him this _look_ that Will couldn’t possibly escape even if he tried.

 

“I...I’m not-”

 

And suddenly, a certain voice came from downstairs, a voice that sounded like music to Will’s ears.

 

“Will? Are you alright up there?” Dipper’s voice rang out. The sound of it seemed to catch Bill off guard, his eyes flickering to the staircase down the hallway. Will took that chance to run past Bill and over to the laundry room. He nabbed a basket or two and hurried back down the hallway.

 

“Coming!” he replied back as he carried the baskets. He didn’t give Bill a second glance as he descended the stairs in a flash. Within seconds he was back in the dining room, dropping the baskets to the floor.

 

“Bill’s awake!” Will warned in a whisper. Dipper visibly jolted, “Crap! Help me get these candles in here!” The pair scrambled, rushing about the room and collecting the candles, putting them inside the laundry baskets. Once or twice Will nearly bumped into Dipper, but they managed to maneuver around each other and not drop any candles they carried. Both of their movements paused however when they heard someone descending the staircase, their light footsteps sounding louder than bombs to the pair’s ears.

 

Dipper shoved the last of the candles into one of the baskets and handed it to Will, “You think you can hide these for me?” Will nodded dutifully, and without any further urging he ushered out of the dining room and into the living room. He looked around for a decent hiding spot, and from behind him he could hear those ominous footsteps getting closer to the dining room. Will’s eyes fell on the front door, and before he knew it his feet were taking him there, using his shoulders to nudge open the doors and slipping outside with the precious cargo.

 

The early morning breeze hit his face when he took a step outside, and for a brief moment Will wanted to stand there and enjoy it, but the baskets he was holding told him to hurry up with his mission. He remembered the nook underneath the porch steps, a space just big enough for himself to crawl into whenever he and Bill played hide and seek. But, instead of Will hiding himself, he figured the baskets could easily hide there until Dipper came back to get their contents. He climbed down the steps carefully, rounding the small corner to the hiding spot. He set the baskets down and gently pushed them into the nook.

 

When he came back inside, Bill was nowhere to be seen, and he found Dipper in the kitchen, going through one of the drawers. “Where did Bill go?” Will asked in a whisper, as if the man in question would appear at any moment. Dipper looked up from his current search, “He went back upstairs, but he’s onto us.” Dipper let out a sigh of relief, pulling out a lighter from the drawer.

 

“So what are you using all of... _those_ for?” Will asked vaguely, looking up at the ceiling wearily.

 

Dipper smiled at Will’s persistence to keep the candles a secret, “I’m using _those_ for something for _him_ . Sort of a surprise.” He knelt down next to Will, “Bill wasn’t feeling so good the other day, so I wanted to help him feel better. Which requires the usage of so many of _those_.”

 

Will nodded slowly, “Where are you going to put all of them?”

 

Dipper looked around suspiciously, making Will chuckle at how ridiculous he looked, before leaning in close to Will’s ear and whispering. Will’s eyes widened with surprise, and a broad grin spread across his features, “Really?!”

 

Dipper’s own bright smile was the only answer Will needed.

 

“Can I help?” Will asked then, bouncing up and down on his feet with excitement.

 

“Well….”

 

“Pleeeaaassssseee?” Will begged.

 

“Fine,” Dipper gave in dramatically. In all actuality, he had been planning on asking Will for his help. “But only if you promise to not peep a word about it to Bill.”

 

Will rolled his eyes, “Well yeah.”

 

“Or Tad,” Dipper added, standing back up. He ruffled the young boy’s hair playfully, “I’ll let you know when we’ll head out, okay? It’ll probably be a little bit after noon.”

 

Will let out an excited whoop that made Dipper laugh aloud. From the hallway, a certain someone was plastered against the wall, listening intently to the pair talking. When he figured he wouldn’t be able to get any more information out of the conversation, he stealthily and quietly went back upstairs.

  


V^

  


“Me and Will are heading out for a little while!” Dipper exclaimed, ushering Will to the living room.

 

From where he sat on the couch, Bill cocked a suspicious eyebrow, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Where are you two going so late?”

 

“We’re just going on a hike!” Will offered before he opened the front door and stepped outside.

 

“We’ll be back soon!” Dipper promised, and with that he shut the front door solidly. Bill watched after them for a moment, a nervous bubbling erupting in his stomach. He launched himself off the couch, nearly tripping over his own feet as he ran down the hallway towards the reading room.

 

Tad was pulling a book off one of the bookshelves when Bill busted through the doors frantically. Tad dropped the book in his hands, startled, then slightly annoyed when he saw Bill panting heavily. “What is the matter with you?” Tad asked, exasperated.

 

“Tad I think they are conspiring against me!”

 

“Who is conspiring against you?”

 

“Dipper and Will!”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Okay, okay, hear me out. Earlier this morning Will was acting all weird and stuff, and then I overheard him and Dipper talking about some sort of secretive... _thing_ that Dipper is planning or something and then they just up and leave out of nowhere not two minutes ago and it’s getting late and they really shouldn’t be out and about in the woods at night!”

 

Tad sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Bill, you need to calm down. I’m sure they aren’t conspiring against you.”

 

“But what if they are trying to overthrow the crown?!”

 

“The crown? Bill, really now, you need to chill out.”

 

“I caaaaaaan’t,” Bill whined, rushing over and latching his arms around Tad’s neck dramatically. “They’re going to be the end of me, I can already see my life flashing before my eyes!”

 

Tad groaned, “Remind me why you stopped being a Thespian.”

 

“Because I was too good,” Bill said cheekily.

 

Tad shot him a glare, unwrapping the offending arms from his neck, “If you’re so worried about them overthrowing the throne why don’t you just follow them?”

 

“Because...what if it’s like a surprise or something?”

 

“A surprise? For who, you?”

 

“Yeah...I mean, I don’t know,” Bill sighed, slumping against the wall. “Maybe it’s nothing after all. Maybe they’re just having fun or something.”

 

Tad patted Bill’s shoulder, “I think you’re thinking about this too hard.” Bill watched the man head out of the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts and worries. He sighed.

 

He was overreacting. He knew he was. He couldn’t help it. He was on edge, he knew why, but he’ll be damned if he ever spoke about it. He bent his head low, covering his face in his hands. Behind his closed eyes he saw flashes of black and blue, of storms and rain, and if he tried hard enough he could still hear the deafening roar of thunder.

 

“ _Breath Bill_ ,” he whispered to himself, attempting to mimic her voice, “ _Breath and everything will be fine_.”

 

  

V^

  


By the time Dipper and Will came back home, the sun had begun to set behind the trees, casting its golden glow across the entire cabin. Tad was cooking dinner in the kitchen, and Bill was in his company, the two chatting away idly. When the sound of the front door reached his ears, Bill grew quiet, and he watched as his younger brother and boyfriend walked into the kitchen. He noted immediately the dirt that covered their clothes, especially their shoes. _Maybe they had gone on a walk after all?_

 

“Welcome back boys,” Tad greeted, “Did you enjoy your walk?”

 

The brief flash of confusion on both of their faces alarmed Bill, and before he could say anything Dipper answered Tad.

 

“Yeah, it was really nice,” he played it off with a smile, one Bill would classify as sneaky. Will too had a sneaky grin on his face, and it unnerved Bill greatly. Will stepped over to Tad’s cooking space, peaking over the counter to see what the man was making, “Would you like some help?”

 

Tad smiled, “Why sure! I’d love some.”

 

If Bill hadn’t been paying attention, he would have missed the subtle look that Dipper gave Will, and the not so subtle wink Will sent Dipper’s way. But he was paying attention, and he did see the exchanges between them. He grew even more suspicious when Dipper walked over to him, tugging his sleeve gently.

 

Wordlessly, Dipper tugged Bill out of the kitchen and into the back hallway that led to the back entrance. He stopped them both right in front of the door, turning around to face Bill head on.

 

“What’s with all this sneaking around today?” Bill asked, his voice slightly edgy.

 

Dipper didn’t look Bill in the eye, but rather at his chest as he rubbed his hands up and down Bill’s biceps, “I’m sorry.”

 

Bill sighed, letting his head hang low as he stared at the floor. The rubbing stopped slowly, Dipper’s hands trailing now down past his elbows, his wrists, lacing their fingers together. Dipper leaned in closer, whispering a question into Bill’s ear.

 

“Do you trust me?”

 

Bill startled, nearly flinching back, but Dipper’s hold of his hands kept Bill rooted in the spot. “Come with me,” Dipper beckoned him, tugging his hands gently. “I want to show you something.”

 

Bill looked out the door window wearily. It was getting darker outside, and soon the forest would be casted in a pitch black shadow. But when he looked back at Dipper, he saw in his eyes something warm, comforting, tempting. How could he say no to someone so sincere? _Did he trust him?_ He sighed, shaking his head a little before giving in, “Alright, but we can’t stay out too late.” Dipper nodded knowingly, turning on his heels to head out the back entrance, his fingers still laced with Bill’s. Once Dipper pushed open the door, the cool air rushed at them, nipping at their skin and giving them goosebumps.

 

Bill focused his eyes on Dipper’s back, watching his muscles work underneath the thin shirt. He didn’t know where they were going, what they were going to do, why Dipper was dragging him outside. It was a little unnerving in a way, trusting someone enough to travel blindly with them. It made him feel...like he was in someone else’s hands. But it was also Dipper Pines, the young man who became entangled in his life, changing it for the better, changing _him_ for the better.

 

Bill had never felt so vulnerable yet alive in all of his life. And it scared the living hell out of him in the best way possible.

 

They walked in silence, only hearing the crunching of leaves and twigs under their feet, the chirping of crickets and the songs of the few cicadas. If Bill listened hard enough, maybe he could also hear his breathing, how unsteady it was. If Bill listened close enough, maybe he could also hear Dipper’s own breath, hitched with anticipation, Dipper’s own heart beat, racing in his chest.

 

Bill couldn’t see far in front of him with Dipper’s body blocking the path they traveled, but the young man seemed to know exactly where he was going, even as the night fell slowly, inch by inch. He wanted to ask how much longer they had to walk, how much farther they had to go, but he kept his mouth shut. He figured he would know the answers soon enough...but what if he didn’t like the answers? What if he was afraid of them? Bill shook his head.

 

_Get ahold of yourself Cipher. Chill out._

 

Bill looked past Dipper’s shoulder, and in the distance a tiny light emerged out of the darkness. Then suddenly, one light turned into two, then three, four, five...and soon, many more little lights appeared, and Bill wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him, or if he was seeing ghosts.

 

“Dipper…” he murmured under his breath, his voice trailing off into the dark. Dipper stopped walking when they made it to the clearing…

 

_The lake…_

 

Except, it was different. Amazingly different. Surrounding the lake were candles, all in varying shapes and sizes, all alight and burning into the night. Some of the candles were perched on the rocks, along the shorelines, not quite touching the water. There were so many of them that they lit up the small lake as if they were fireflies in an open field.

 

Dipper turned to face Bill, his back now to the lake and the candle lights casting a warm hue against his features. “Do you like it?” he asked quietly, letting go of Bill’s hands.

 

Bill couldn’t take his eyes off of Dipper like this, mesmerized by how he looked in the candlelight, “You’re… it’s very beautiful…”

 

Dipper smiled, and Bill’s heart exploded with such foreign emotions.

 

“I’m glad,” Dipper admitted, looking bashfully at the ground. “We worked really hard to set up everything.”

 

“We?” Bill quirked his eyebrow.

 

“Will and I. He wanted to help too, with all of this,” Dipper motioned behind him.

 

“Ah… so that’s what you two were working on so secretively, this massive fire hazard.”

 

Dipper rolled his eyes, “All the candles are close to the water or on the water, it should be fine.”

 

Bill chuckled at that, but he couldn’t help but look past Dipper’s shoulders apprehensively, and soon another question flowed from his lips, “Dipper...what exactly are we doing out here though?”

 

Dipper bit his bottom lip nervously, and he asked again, “Do you trust me?”

 

_Do you trust me completely? Will you, if you don’t? Just for the moment?_

 

Bill blinked slowly, his heart picking up its pace, “Do I… trust you?”

 

_Do I trust you completely? Will I, even if I can’t? Just for the moment?_

 

“Yes,” Dipper breathed.

 

_Please, I won’t hurt you._

 

Bill looked into Dipper’s eyes, and for the second time that evening he gave in, “Alright…”

 

_Please… don’t hurt me._

 

Bill stood still as Dipper took a step closer to him, and then another, close enough to see eye to eye, but still separated by a good foot of space. Dipper sucked in a deep breath, shutting his eyes, as if preparing himself for something. Bill watched him perplexed as Dipper moved his arms, hooking his hands underneath his shirt and...slowly, pulling it up, past his abdomen, his chest, his neck, over his head. He dropped the shirt on the ground and opened his eyes again. Dipper then reached over that foot of space, taking the hem of Bill’s shirt in his hands. He stopped though, his eyes going up to meet Bill’s, silently asking for permission to go any further. Bill nodded shakily, and his own breath hitched when he felt Dipper’s fingers brush against his skin as he lifted the shirt off his body. Once it was over his head, Dipper tossed the shirt next to his own discarded one.

 

Dipper looked down at himself, moving his hands to his jeans, undoing the button and zipper slowly. In the process, he toed off his shoes, kicking them to the side. He let his jeans fall to the ground, stepping out of them, and then pulling off his socks. Bill simply watched, fascinated, as Dipper took another step closer, merely inches away now. Dipper looked down at Bill’s own jeans, reaching to unbutton them and pulling the zipper. Bill felt heat rising to his face, seeing Dipper so focused on his task. Bill repeated the process of taking off his shoes, letting his jeans fall to the ground, taking off his socks.

 

They stood there, now boxer clad, not speaking a single word. Bill’s fingers twitched, feeling the urge to run his hands over Dipper’s chest, to caress his skin, but he found he was too scared to move. He could only watch as Dipper slipped his hands underneath the band of his boxers, and in a swift, clean motion, pushing them down completely, completely naked to the night air. Bill felt like he was losing the ability to breath when Dipper’s hands hooked around his own boxers, but instead of the swift motion, Dipper pulled them down slowly. He let the boxers fall on their own when Bill’s member was freed.

 

And they stood there, naked, not speaking a single word. But the look Dipper gave him was the only thing Bill needed.

 

_Do you trust me?_

 

Bill gulped, his skin feeling like fire.

 

_I trust you._

 

It was then when Dipper took Bill’s hands in his own, again beckoning him to move with him step by step...towards... the water... _the water_ …

 

Bill felt like running, but his feet wouldn’t listen to him as he took step after step to the shore line. Bill felt like balling his fists, digging his nails into his palms, but his hands wouldn’t listen to him as he gently held onto Dipper’s own hands. Bill felt like shutting his eyelids, but his eyes wouldn’t listen to him as he stared forever into Dipper’s eyes.

 

Dipper guided him slowly, patiently, carefully, and stopped when his feet were submerged under the lake water. Bill had yet to make contact with the water, but he was mere inches away from it, mere inches from stepping into the unknown. Bill was frozen. Dipper knew that. But he needed Bill to move, to step into that unknown. Dipper leaned close into Bill’s space, dipping his head to whisper into Bill’s ear.

 

“Will you come with me?” he asked again. “I still need to show you something.”

 

Bill shut his eyes tight. How could he say no? How could he possibly say no?

 

And he took a step forward into the water, into the unknown, and it shocked him like electricity. The water was warm against his skin, and Dipper gently pulled him further and further into the depths. Every fiber of his being was screaming at Bill, but Dipper’s voice was the loudest of them all, the voice of reason, the voice of comfort, soothing him.

 

“I’ve got you,” Dipper whispered close to Bill. “I won’t let you go.”

 

“Please don’t let go,” Bill gritted between clenched teeth.

 

The water crept slowly up his body as he moved, engulfing his ankles, his calves, his knees. His thighs were next, then his hips, and it stopped at his waist. It felt strange, half of his body was cool, while the other half was warm. Suddenly, Dipper’s hands were gone, and almost immediately the worry and the guilt and the fear began to bubble and rise in his stomach and he almost began to panic and scream-

 

Warm hands cupped his cheeks.

 

“Bill, open your eyes. Look at me.”

 

And it took every ounce of his being to slowly open his eyelids, to relax into the warm touch. Dipper was so close to him he realized, their bodies almost touching. Dipper pulled Bill forward, ghosting his lips over Bill’s.

 

“Do you trust me?” Dipper asked one last time, his eyelids drooping, looking through his eyelashes.

 

“...yes…” Bill finally answered, succumbing to it all. Dipper wrapped an arm around Bill’s neck, one hand still resting on his cheek. He took in a deep breath of air, and with one final tug, pulled Bill in for a kiss.

 

And the next thing Bill knew, they were sinking into the water below them, lips locked, eyes shut tight. Dipper pulled Bill under the water with him, the water rushing quickly past the crown of their heads.

 

Encased in the water prison, Bill felt like he was suffocating.

 

Until Dipper opened his lips ever so slightly, breathing out the air from his mouth into Bill’s. Bill wounded his arms around Dipper’s body, taking that air greedily, kissing him hard. And suddenly, the water didn’t matter so much anymore. Submerged, Bill felt like he was floating on air, his body braced flush against Dipper’s own.

 

That burst of oxygen didn’t last long, and soon Dipper was pulling them both to the surface, breaking it smoothly as they stood back up. Droplets of water slide down their faces and torsos, but they didn’t mind it. The sun had set completely now, but they didn’t mind it, for the stars shone down brightly onto them, and the lights of the candles kept the shadows and the fears at bay.

 

“Again,” Dipper urged, and with swift movements he and and Bill were submerged again, lips locked, bodies close. The breath of air lasted longer this time, and when they rose above the water, it seemed as if they were only briefly coming back up for air before submerging yet again. They went on like this several more times, with Dipper soon forgetting to even speak the simple word over and over, again and again and again. Each time they stayed under longer and longer, and Bill was convinced he was getting dizzier and dizzier, but he couldn’t tell if it was from the short bursts of oxygen or if it was from something else.

 

They broke the surface one last time, breathing heavily and heatedly, holding each other close. Bill’s eyes were closed, his head tilted up towards the night sky, when he felt Dipper’s hands cupping his face again.

 

“Bill…?” Dipper whispered, as if his very voice would shatter the silence of the night around him, “Bill, what’s the matter? Why are you crying?”

 

Bill blinked his eyes then, and he could feel tears streaming slowly down his face, tears he didn’t even realize we there. And Dipper’s voice was so laced with worry it could make Bill’s heart burst. And he wanted it to.

 

He wanted it to so badly it hurt, so badly it made him cry.

 

Bill leaned in and kissed Dipper feverently, pulling the young man’s body flush against his own without shame. His hands travelled down Dipper’s shoulder blades, down his back, over his rear, and with the rush he was in, Bill grasped Dipper’s thighs and hoisted him up to his chest, guiding Dipper’s legs to wrap around his waist. He leaned his head back in order to kiss Dipper fully, one hand planted firmly against Dipper’s ass, and the other tangled in his curly hair, urging him lower to meet his lips.

 

And he couldn’t stop crying.

 

Bill sucked on Dipper’s bottom lip, only letting go when Dipper’s mouth opened fully. Bill sealed his lips over Dipper’s, their tongues colliding, their saliva mixing, their heated breath pushing against each other. Bill thought he was suffocating, but he found that there would be no better way to die than by kissing Dipper Pines.

 

Dipper broke the kiss, panting heavily, his eyelids drooping heavily, and he used his hand to angle Bill’s face to see it better.

 

“Why are you crying?” he asked again, using his thumb to wipe away one of the tears.

 

Bill looked deep into Dipper’s eyes. “I… I’m…” His voice was shaky, the English falling in breathy spurts, but he felt so overcome with emotions that soon more familiar sounding words began to spill from his mouth,

 

“...Te amo.”

 

Dipper’s breathing stopped altogether, so taken back by those words, words that he _knew_ , knew what they _meant_ , and knew what he meant to _Bill_. Bill grinned like Dipper had never seen him do before, so genuine and so bright, so loving and so warm. And soon, Dipper could feel his own tears falling down his face. Bill brought Dipper down enough to press his forehead against his own.

 

“Te amo mucho,” he whispered through his broken sobs, their noses bumping, their breath mingling. “Te amo con todo mi corazón y mi amor por ti nunca se acabara.*

 

If I could learn every single language in the world I would, just to keep telling you how much I love you, Dipper Pines.”

 

In the darkness of the night, illuminated only by the candle light, Dipper closed the space between them and kissed Bill like it was the last thing he would ever do on this earth.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *“Te amo ... Te amo mucho ... Te amo con todo mi corazón y mi amor por ti nunca se acabara." - "I love you ... I love you so much ... I love you with all my heart and my love for you will never end."


	17. Guessing Correctly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SWEAR TO GOD I DIDN'T ABANDON THIS FIC.
> 
> My personal life sort of went haywire, and I lost the urge to write because of how stressed out I was having to deal with everything and everyone. Plus, on top of dealing with home life and having to plan for school and having random events pop up, things just kind of went nuts and I couldn't keep up with absolutely everything. That's why my "little" hiatus turned into an unintentionally massive hiatus. 
> 
> But, here's some good news: things are slowly calming down in my life, which means I will be able to get back into writing! My summer writing project has been shelved for the time being because I want to focus on finishing this story and, surprise surprise, finishing my other fic The Price of Beauty. 
> 
> I will apologize for how short this chapter is, it's all I could really manage to do and originally wasn't what I was intending to do either, which is also why it make seem a little different or wonky in some parts. But I figured I would slowly get back into the groove of things, so this is my efforts in starting small. I promise I will update again here shortly though, but for now, enjoy reading lovelies. I missed all of you dearly <3
> 
> -V

Tad knew that something had changed the moment they all returned home from the cabin. Something had changed in the air, lighter, in how the world looked, brighter. It was strong, strong enough that if it wanted to it could bring him to his knees, could steal the air right from his lungs, make him see beautiful stars. It was amazing, it truly was. But, at the same time, it was also frightening, at least at first. Because at first he didn’t know what it was. He didn’t know the reason why everything just felt better… felt right. It was like a switch had been flipped, and the things he once found dreary were now filled with such a vivid liveliness that it almost blinded him and it was both amazing and terrifying. 

 

It took him about a week to figure out what had changed.  

 

He was seated at the dining table, looking out into the living room where Dipper, Bill, and Will were. They had moved the couch and table back a couple of feet, giving more space on the floor to indulge in the toys that Will had brought from his room. It was there, amidst the human voices mimicking the engines of toy cars, did he finally see it. Such a simple gesture that it would have gone unnoticed if Tad hadn’t been paying attention. Something he hadn’t seen before. It was when Dipper leaned in close to Will, nudging the truck in his hand against the taxi that Will held in his own.  When Dipper leaned away from Bill, unable to see his face. When Tad could hear the sound of Will laugh aloud happily. 

 

It was in that moment that Tad saw Bill smile. 

 

Bill smiled all the time, that Tad knew for a fact. And, depending on the situation, Bill had a lot of different smiles. Bill had a smile for when he was cooking, when he was cleaning, when he was telling a joke or when he was lying. But, most noticeably, Bill had a smile whenever he was with someone in particular. There’s one for Tad himself, for Will, for his college buddies, Ashter, his father.

 

But the smile that Tad saw on Bill’s face was unlike any smile he had ever seen.

 

This smile was soft, soft in the way the corners of Bill’s mouth only turned up just so on both sides. It was unlike the big smiles he gave for everyone else, no this one was so small that at first Tad didn’t even realize that the man was smiling. But when he did realize, he found that that smile was so genuinely crushing with such emotion that he had never seen the likes of before. And what tipped it all off in the end was when Tad moved his eyes up just a fraction, and saw just who Bill was smiling at. 

 

He was smiling at Dipper Pines. This was the smile that Bill had given to the young man, the smile that was specifically for Dipper. And it was the most beautiful smile Tad had ever seen. 

 

And it was in that moment did Tad realize what had changed. It was something between the two of them, between Dipper and Bill, and Tad had enough of an inkling to guess correctly just what that change was. And that correct guess made Tad alright with the fact that it could bring him down to his knees and take his breath away and make him see stars. It made him alright and it made him happy. 

 

And it made his world look vivid in technicolor. 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


Wendy liked to think that her instincts were pretty on point. If something was up, she probably would know immediately what was going on without someone having to tell her. And this, this was no exception. 

 

It was Dipper’s first day back since going on his little vacation. Wendy had arrived a little early to prep, her back to the front door as she bustled about the line. When she heard the front door open, she swiveled on her heels, mentally preparing herself to greet the beginning rush of customers. Except that it wasn’t a customer. It was Dipper, dressed in the standard uniform, ready to get to work. She was about to greet him when she noticed it, how different he seemed in that moment. 

 

It wasn’t the same vibe she got from him before he left for vacation. This was a wholly different feeling, a vibe with greater intensity and positivity that it was almost shocking. And the closer Dipper got, the more Wendy could feel this vibe rolling off of the man in waves. It was unlike any other thing she had felt from Dipper. 

 

And the most distinct feeling she felt was just how happy it was. It was a happiness that could cause someone to cry, that could cause the world to look differently than it did before. It was absolutely wonderful.

 

Wendy didn’t comment on it at first, keeping her hunches to herself as she watched Dipper go about his work. There was then suddenly a certain hunch that came to mind, one that made her nearly drop a full cup of coffee from her hands. And despite the angry and impatient customer in front of her, an incredible smile formed across her features as she considered this possible hunch. Could this hunch be right? Had she guessed correctly? 

 

And if the intense blush was anything to tell by after she confronted Dipper about it during their break, then she knew that her guess was, in fact, correct. 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


Mabel knew immediately the moment she looked at Dipper after his trip that something changed. He was standing a little straighter, a little taller, and his mood was a little lighter, a little happier. His face was alight with so much emotion that she just knew. She knew because she’s been to enough weddings to see the same face on the grooms and brides. Mabel knew, and she said nothing about it. Not a single word. It pained her not to ask, pained her not to be able to know for sure if her guess was correct, but… that pain was also coupled with the silent vendetta she had with the only possible man Dipper could feel so strongly for. 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


It was in the late Saturday afternoon did Ashter see something that surprised her, caught her off guard, thrown her for a loop. She had been walking past a restaurant window, carrying a bag of groceries in her hands, when she just happened to glance inside, her eyes trailing along the booths and tables, and noticed a familiar set of faces. 

 

Dipper Pines. With Bill Cipher. Sharing a meal. Talking animately. Laughing Together. Happy. 

 

They were leaning in close to each other, as if they only had so much room to spare, when in reality the booth they occupied was more than enough for four people. The sight of the two together made Ashter’s heart race, made her stomach turn with both sad and happy emotions. 

 

Sad, upset, downtrodden by the fact that Bill had moved on already from her. 

 

Happy, joyful, delighted by the fact that Bill had moved on to Dipper. 

 

They looked so perfect together she thought. They looked so content to be in each other’s presence. They looked happy, but more so they looked… like they were… in… lo-

 

Ashter turned away from the window, shaking her head as she willed her feet to move forward, fearful of being seen by the pair. She walked fast, eager to get home quickly, but it seemed as though she wasn’t fast enough to get away from that thought, that guess, that invaded her mind. The guess that she knew was correct, and that she knew was what she needed to finally move on. 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


The house seemed a little quieter whenever Bill wasn’t there. This particular evening was written as “D8 NITE” on the calendar that hung on the fridge, which also meant that Bill was off somewhere with Dipper. Tad found himself sitting again at the dining table, a magazine laid out in front of him as he lazily flipped through the pages. Will had been in his room alone for the past hour, but soon the young boy grew tired of playing by himself, and Tad looked up to see the boy wandering over to the table as well, climbing into the seat next to Tad’s. 

 

The pair sat there quietly, gazing at the same picture on the same page of the magazine. Tad shifted his gaze to Will’s face, eyeing the boy curiously. Did he know as well? Did he also pick up on the change around the house? The change between Bill and Dipper? What was the harm in asking? 

 

“So Will,” he began, a little slowly, “Have you… noticed anything different since we’ve gotten back?”

 

The young boy looked up to Tad for a moment before looking back down at the table in thought, “I want to say yes but…”

 

Tad quirked an eyebrow, “But?”

 

Will sighed aloud, moving his hands to rest on the sides on the chair he sat on, “I can’t place it, but everything feels… happier. I thought it was just me at first, so I didn’t want to say anything.”

 

There was a brief pause before Tad asked another question. 

 

“Do you know what love is, Will?”

 

Will looked up again, confused, “It’s when you really, really like something right?”

 

Tad chuckled, “You guessed correctly, yes. Generally, love is associated with how a person feels for another person. It’s one of the strongest emotions you can feel, and sometimes it can make you do crazy things and sometimes it can make things feel different.”

 

“Feel different how?”

 

“Well… it makes everything feel happier.” 

  
And it was that look of understanding dawned on Will’s face that made Tad’s heart swell happily. And soon he had to convince a distraught Bill that the tears on Will’s face weren’t from pain but from overwhelming joy. 


	18. Code Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Low-key my life honestly went to shit for a little bit, but I'll go into all of that at the end of the chapter. For now, enjoy reading!
> 
> -V

Dipper was sprawled out on his couch, the book he was reading covering his face, his light snoring muffled under the weight of the pages. It was a late Monday afternoon, and Dipper wasn’t scheduled to come into work, so he took that opportunity to catch up on some light reading 一 or rather, some light sleeping. Dipper had just gotten to the point in his dream where Bill was about to walk out of the changing room in a clown costume when the shrill tone of his ringtone startled him awake. Dipper flinched upwards, the book falling from his face and onto the floor with a loud thud, but not loud enough to mask over the ringing phone. He groaned, reaching over to the other side of the couch where his phone laid, muttering a mock prayer to himself in hopes that his boss wasn’t calling him into work today. Not a moment after he accepted the phone call, the annoying ringtone was replaced with the shrill cry of a familiar man’s voice.

 

“DIPPER-SEXY-PANTS-PINES, WAKE YOUR ASS UP! WE ARE IN A CODE RED SITUATION! I REPEAT, THIS IS A CODE RED!”

 

Dipper nearly dropped the phone in shock from Bill’s voice yelling at him. Cradling his ringing ear, he switched over to his other one, “Bill, why the hell are you shouting right now?! What the heck is a code red?”

 

Bill continued to yell, “THERE’S NO TIME TO EXPLAIN. WE ARE IN FACING THE WORST CASE SCENARIO SINCE BECK JIBBED BEYONCE OF ALBUM OF THE YEAR IN 2015 AT THE GRAMMYS.”

 

“Bill wait what? Why are you complaining about something that happened a year ago?”

 

“KANYE HAD EVERY RIGHT TO WALK UP ON STAGE LIKE THAT AND I WOULD HAVE TOO! BUT NEVERMIND THAT, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR FINE ASS DOWN TO THE HOUSE PRONTO.”

 

And with that, Bill hung up on him, leaving him to stare at the phone screen with confusion, a ringing building up in his ears. 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


Dipper only had to knock on the door once as it swung open for him. There stood Tad with a slightly annoyed look on his face. Dipper leaned back, at first thinking that the look was directed at him, until he saw a flash of something zoom behind Tad.

 

“One thing I hate about Bill,” Tad began with irritation, “Is that when he starts pacing around the house it turns into a full out run.”

 

Tad’s greeting was illustrated with the sight of Bill running back out into view and towards the dining table. Dipper couldn’t help but scoff at the strange sight of a grown man such as Bill running around wildly. When Bill rounded the table, he noticed Dipper for the first time. Tad immediately stepped out of the way, and Dipper watched in a swiftly growing horror as Bill ran towards him at full speed. The grown man crashed into him, his weight nearly knocking them both over if it hadn’t been for Dipper’s quick grasp on the door frame. 

 

“Oh Dipper!” Bill cried out pitifully, latching his lanky arms around Dipper’s torso. “This is a fate worse than death! I can’t imagine something more horrifying that could have occurred to our dearest kin!” 

 

Dipper’s eyebrows pushed together in concern then, “Our dearest kin…? Did something happen to Will?”

 

Bill launched off of Dipper, spinning back into the room with his arms outstretched into the air, “Oh it is so dreadful! The youngest of the honoured family name has fallen so far beyond our grasp! He thinks nought of his family, his beloved brother or uncle or friend, but rather of that wretched creature! The proof was evident! I saw it with my own eyes! Oh the horror! The horror!” Bill collapsed onto the couch, sniffling as he were about to start crying. Dipper, worried and still confused, looked to Tad for some sort of translation. 

 

Tad sighed, “Bill found out that Will has a crush on this girl at school this morning. She invited Will to her birthday party and, according to Bill, Will’s face ‘lit up like a burning red star’. He’s been grieving about it all afternoon.” 

 

A small light went off in Dipper’s head as he remembered a certain conversation he had with little Will not too long ago, “Are you talking about Amelia?”

 

Tad raised his eyebrows, surprised, and Bill whirled around so fast he nearly tripped over the leg of the couch. 

 

“How do you know about her?!” Bill interrogated, slightly alarmed and taken aback by the fact that Dipper knew something about his little brother that he didn’t. 

 

Dipper shrugged offhandedly, “Will told me about her a while ago.” He didn’t go too much into the essence of the conversation he had with the boy, not wanting to get embarrassed. “Wait, is that your ‘code red situation’?”

 

“Yes!” Bill exclaimed. “He’s lost his innocence! And at such a young age! We have to do something about it Dipper or else he’s going to be tainted for the rest of his life!” 

 

Tad stepped forward, passing Dipper and headed to the dining table, “Bill is just afraid of Will growing up.”

 

Dipper raised his eyebrows at that. He hadn’t thought about it before, but Bill did treat Will as if the boy was his own son. Heck, he was even raising him instead of having his parents...well, father, raising him. 

 

Come to think of it, Dipper couldn’t even think of a time when Bill had really talked about his father to him. 

 

“Is that so wrong?” Bill asked, exasperated. He made his way over to the dining table as well, and soon Dipper followed suit, plopping himself down beside Bill’s chair. Tad smirked a little, “No, but you gotta give in to the fact that Will is growing up.” Bill sighed, lolling his head to look at the ceiling sadly. Dipper smiled with empathy, reaching his hand under the table to hold Bill’s hand comfortingly. 

 

“But,” Tad started, leaning forward in his chair, “I think our next course of action is to figure out who this girl is for ourselves.” 

 

Bill perked up at that, “And how do you suppose we do that? Run a background check on her? Because I can do that一”

 

“Bill do  _ not _ run a background check on a girl who is like younger than 10 years old,” Dipper chided, squeezing his hand. 

 

“I didn’t exactly have that in mind,” Tad said with amusement, “I was talking about taking Will to her birthday party.” 

 

“Oh,” Bill said simply. “Right. The birthday party.”

 

Dipper couldn’t help but chuckle, “When is the party? I could see if I could schedule off work to go with you guys.”

 

“Next Sunday I think she said is when it was,” Bill supplied. “She also mentioned that it was animal themed.” 

 

“One of Will’s favorite things,” Tad pointed out. “Do the guests have to dress up in theme too?”

 

“Beats me,” Bill shrugged. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if Will wanted to dress up for it.”

 

“Do you think he’s going to use his animal knowledge to impress Amelia?” Dipper asked, slightly joking, but also a little curious. It would be interesting to see how the younger Cipher brother handles liking someone in comparison to the elder brother. 

 

“If he’s anything like his awesome older brother,” Bill said proudly with a smile, “He’ll have a couple tricks up his sleeves that’ll make any girl swoon.” 

 

“Bill these are like young kids, quit being weird.” 

 

“Right, sorry.”

  
  


**V^**

  
  


Bill had to admit, this little girl’s birthday was pretty lit. 

 

He stood in the corner of the massive backyard with Dipper and Tad, alongside a legion of parents chalking it up to one another about the accomplishments of their children in attendance at the birthday party. Various activities and tables spanned across the lawn, from a inflated bouncy house to one of those fun balloon maker people who shaped balloons into animals (he couldn’t ever recall what those people were called) to a face painter with a long line of children waiting to get their face painted. Each child that ran into his field of view was dressed like some sort of animal. So far he had seen a giraffe, a zebra, the most adorable little elephant, a gorilla, several types of birds, one kid was even dressed as a peacock, which was both amusing and creative to Bill. But, if he scanned the crowd of children long enough, he could spot his little pride and joy running around. 

 

It took Bill maybe five seconds to spot him. He wore a bright orange shirt and pants, and his hair was styled out wildly, much like his older brother’s hair first thing in the morning. Pointed ears were nestled into his hair, secured only by sheer will and a crap ton of bobby pins. His fluff tipped tail trailed shortly behind him, his legs kicking it every time he walked. His face originally had a single black dot over his nose and drawn on whiskers, but after the face painter painted his face, he looked more like the ferocious beast he was dressed as. 

 

Bill nudged Dipper playfully, grabbing his attention, “Gives you flashbacks huh?”

 

Dipper glared at him, “Yes, it does, except I would have rather faced Will in a lion costume rather than actual lions.”

 

“Me too,” Bill agreed. “Will is  _ way _ more adorable than any lion I’ve ever seen.” 

 

Tad smiled at the quip, and was about to comment on it when he saw a certain couple floating around. “Excuse me for a second,” he said, patting Bill’s shoulder, “I’ll be right back.” Dipper watched the man go and Bill cried out after him asking him where he was going. He got no reply back, a mere flippant wave of the hand before Tad disappeared among the adults. 

 

“Rude,” Bill huffed. Dipper shrugged, turning his attention, and his cup of soda, to the festivities going on around them. 

 

Dipper wasn’t used to seeing so many little kids at once. Most of the time the youngest people he would interact with were college students at work. Every so often, a mother would bring in their daughter or son, or a small group of middle schoolers would walk into the shop, but even that was a fairly rare occurrence. “Are you used to being around a lot of children like this?” Dipper asked Bill, mostly out of curiosity.

 

“Hmm...Well, kind of yeah,” Bill answered slowly. “I mean, I don’t see this many on a regular basis, but I see them all when I drop off Will at the bus stop and pick him up everyday. And then whenever there’s parent-teacher conferences or like a school event like concerts or something like that.” 

 

Dipper nodded to that, taking a sip of his drink. He watched Will mingle around as he talked to his classmates, interested by the fact that he was seeing Will in a different element other than at home. He wouldn’t say that he was surprised really by how willing the boy was to strike up a conversation with someone, since Will did see these kids on a daily basis, but it was still surprising to see this side of him interacting positively with the other kids. In an odd way, it was warming feeling, something almost akin to the swell of pride, and Dipper couldn’t help but wonder if this is what Bill felt everyday. 

 

And it was in that moment Dipper finally spotted her. 

 

Quickly, he reached out and grabbed Bill by the front of his shirt, pulling the surprised man with him as he walked in between and past chatty parents. Dipper didn’t stop pulling Bill until they made it to a spot where they could see the girl better and away from the majority of the parents.  

 

“Dipper what the heck?” Bill asked, concerned by Dipper suddenly dragging him without saying anything. 

 

“Bill she’s right there!” Dipper whispered in a low, harsh tone. 

 

“Who?” 

 

“Amelia! She’s dressed in the butterfly costume and she’s mostly wearing purple.” 

 

Bill squinted his eyes, scanning them across the crowd of children. His eyes landed on a young girl that fit Dipper’s description. She was in fact dressed mostly in purple, wearing a purple dress with pink flower accents all over. Her shoes matched the color of her dress, and attached to the back of the dress were large, sparkly butterfly wings. The moment his eyes landed on her face, Bill could see why Will had taken to her. Her skin was dark and unblemished, eyes a rich, warm hazel, and her hair was a deep, beautiful brown. Her bangs were straight and nearly reached her eyes, and the rest of her long hair was nothing but a mass of curls. Her face was round and pudgy, and when she smiled a toothy smile, two little dimples appeared in the apples of her cheeks. Adorned her head was a little tiara with the words “Birthday Girl” in pink, accompanied with little gems.

 

Bill squeezed Dipper’s upper arm, “Oh my god Dipper she is the second most precious and adorable thing I’ve ever seen, with Will first and you third.”

 

“That’s understandable,” Dipper admitted. “I’m not even upset.” 

 

Bill laughed at that, “So that’s Amelia then. Is Will near her at all?” 

 

The pair scanned the crowd again, and it was Dipper who spotted the boy not too far from Amelia. The boy looked like he was fidgeting in place, glancing at Amelia every so often from where he stood. “Found him,” Dipper said, pointing directly at him. “Right there, next to the bouncy house.” 

 

“Is he going to go talk to her or just keep standing there awkwardly?” Bill asked, squinting his eyes. “That is not at all how I told him to handle the ladies.”

 

Dipper smacked his shoulder, “Bill. Chill. He’s still a little kid, he probably can’t help it if he’s a little nervous. He obviously gets it from his brother.”

 

Bill scoffed, “I am not like that at all! I am like so outgoing and confident and junk.” 

 

Dipper gave him a look before turning back to Will, “Maybe we should go give him a little push?”

 

“Maybe…” Bill trailed off, mentally trying to figure out how to help out his little bro. It was obvious that Will wanted to go and talk to Amelia, but he seemed too nervous to go up to her. It made him wonder if that’s how it was at school for the young boy. Dipper nudged him out of his train of thought, “Bill look!”

 

Dipper redirected Bill’s attention to Amelia, who was actually moving past the children and making her way to none other than Will. It didn’t take her too long, and soon the nerve-wrecked Will was standing in the presence of his adorable crush. From far away, the pair could tell she was talking animatedly to Will, probably about the party, and to their amazement they watched as Will slowly began to warm up to her. And not too long after, he was talking to her with as much energy she showed him. 

 

Dipper and Bill watched on for not too much longer, as the young pair soon disappeared hand in hand to join the group of kids at the birthday cake table. “Dipper, quick, take a picture!” Bill spoke quickly, giddy at the sight of Will holding Amelia’s hand. “I gotta frame this on the fridge!” 

 

Dipper laughed, “Leave ‘em be. You can interrogate Will all you want when we get home.”

 

Bill nodded thoughtfully, “That’s true. What do you think we should ask him?”

 

“I don’t know about that one, maybe something like how long he’s liked her?”

 

“Or if they sit together at lunch?”

 

“Oh my god if they did that would be so cute!”

 

“I know right! Or if they like make arts and crafts together or eat snack together?”

 

“Maybe, oh man I hope they do though.”

 

Their gossip was interrupted by the sound of a man clearing his throat behind them. They both startled, jumping a step forward and spinning around quickly. Tad stood behind them, smiling a little smugly. 

 

“Jesus Tad! Could you, I dunno, say something so that we know you’re here without giving us a heart attack?” Bill muttered, his hand clinging to the fabric of his shirt that was over his heart. 

 

“I’ve been behind you guys for a while now actually,” Tad said matter of factly. “But while you guys have been creepily looking at kids over here, I’ve got some fantastic news.” 

 

Bill looked at the man expectantly, and Dipper did him the favor of asking what that good news was. 

 

“I recognized Amelia’s parents in the crowd. I’ve seen them at the parent-teacher conferences, so I went up to them to talk. After a little bit I asked if they would be interested in scheduling a little playdate between Will and Amelia.” 

 

“They said yes right?” Bill prodded. “Please tell me they said yes!” 

 

“They said yes.” 

 

“Praise!!” Bill fist pumped the air in excitement. “Holy shit this is going to make Will so happy!”

 

“Or nervous,” Dipper chimed in. “You saw how awkward he was before Amelia went over to talk to him.” 

 

“Shoosh! This’ll be good for him!” Bill said, patting Dipper’s chest with confidence. “We just gotta show him how to not be weird in front of his crush, that’s all.”

 

“Oh, yeah, and you’re  _ very _ good at that,” Dipper joked with a smile. 

 

Bill flicked him in the nose, which led to an all out flicking war. 

 

Tad couldn’t distinguish their antics from the antics of the children around them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo, happy Halloween month. I know it's been a long ass time since I've posted anything, and I really do apologize for that. A lot has been going on in my life and I just never had the time to write anymore. I don't want to get into it too much, but essentially my relationship with my significant other sort of consumed my life in a bad way? And then things just sort of hit the fan and everything was just this massive mess. But, good news is though is that I am out of that relationship now, and I finally don't have to worry about anything except for myself (and technically school, but msotly myself). 
> 
> As for my tumblr, I actually have been meaning to check that, but there was a point where I forgot the password and like the email I used for it and I got a lil frustrated and just stopped messing with it. So, as of right now, I won't really be using tumblr, so that's just a heads up if anyone was wanting to message me through that or something. Again, terribly sorry!! 
> 
> I don't know much I will be able to update this story, but I do know that I want to complete it, so please bear with my sporadic updates here and there. I know that it won't be a span of months though, maybe more like once or twice every couple of weeks. 
> 
> Also, I haven't like really written anything for myself in a while either, so if my writing style seems strange or different that's probably why. I know I'll be able to get back into the swing of things here shortly.


	19. How Cold You've Become

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A.K.A. The Argument pt. 1

It was dark outside, rain staining the sidewalk with a mellow tune. His heart was racing, beating fast and faster as he watched the blond man bend down on one knee, not caring when mud caked onto his jeans. Wide and tearful eyes watched the blond as he pulled out a small wooden box from his jeans pocket. The box fit right in the palm of his hand. Anticipation rippled through the air. It felt electrifying. The blond slow and slowly opened the box to reveal a simple, gold band with a effeminate diamond encrusted on top. Tears that ran down his face were washed away by the rain as the blond spoke soft and sweetly,

 

“Will you marry me?”

 

Heightened joy brought him to his knees in front of the blond, and with a brilliant smile, he grasped the other man’s hands and said, 

 

“Yes.” 

 

And suddenly, he felt a shockwave through his body and the sidewalk under him began to crumble because  _ that wasn’t his voice, that wasn’t  _ his _ voice just who in the hell -  _

 

He fell onto his rear, his own pants becoming soaked with tears and rain as he noticed something walk right through him,  _ someone _ walk right through him. The figure was shadowy and dark, but the red tint of her hair was enough for him to shudder out, 

 

“Ashter?”

 

The figure didn’t turn, but rather took his place in front of the blond as she said again, “Yes.” And to his horror, the blond smiled his beautiful grin and began removing the ring from it’s container. Ashter lifted a shadowy hand forward, and the blond slipped the ring onto her finger swiftly. The pair rose to stand and  _ oh god _ he felt like he was going to be sick when he watched the pair kiss and he felt like he was being destroyed when he watched the pair dance in each other’s arms and he felt like he was going to throw up as they began to walk away and he could have sworn that Ashter turned around and he could have sworn that her once gracious smile was now a lecherous grin and he was being left alone in the pouring rain yet again and it was  _ wrong, wrong, wrong _ but he couldn’t get up, couldn’t chase after them and he  _ cried, cried, cried why, why, why _ was this happening to him, why was this happening to him, he  _ loved _ him and now he’s  _ gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone -  _

 

The young man jolted awake, rising up off the bed only to realize that the constraints of the bed sheets limited his movement. He was breathing hard, shrugging off the covers to free his sweat ridden limbs. His heart hurt. It raced. It pained. His chest was heaving with guilt and worry and anticipation for something to come and destroy him. The bedroom was dark. He could hear the patter of rain hit the closed windows. The bed shifted. 

 

“Dipper…?”

 

Dipper didn’t need the light on to see who was sitting up beside him, who was wrapping a firm arm around his trembling waist. Bill’s warmth was comforting,  _ when had it gotten so cold?  _ Dipper leaned into his touch. 

 

“I’m sorry…” Dipper whispered to him, taking in his first stable breath after suddenly waking up.

 

Bill hummed sleepily, his voice husky from resting, “¿Por qué?”

 

“I didn’t mean to wake you, I just - “ Dipper felt another pang of guilt as he remembered the remnants of the dream. The right words didn’t come, refusing to surface. Was he embarrassed? No, that wasn’t quite it. Scared? Afraid?

 

When Dipper didn’t immediately finish, Bill used his free hand to guide Dipper to face him. He planted a soft kiss where he thought Dipper’s lips were, missing by just an inch. “Vuelve a la cama, mi amor,” he urged the younger man, his low voice laced with tiredness, concern, and something else. Bill kissed him again before wrapping both his arms around Dipper, tugging him back down onto the bed. Dipper let himself be handled by the older man. 

 

He attempted to forget his dream, but he couldn’t shake the foreboding feeling in his chest. 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


Dipper woke to a natural warmth. The open curtains allowed the sun to shine into Bill’s bedroom. He sat up slowly, letting the sheets slide against his skin and fall around him. He blinked the weariness from his eyes, rubbing them gently. He was warm, but the space beside him was cold. Bill had gotten up before him it seems. He glanced around the now familiar room, noting their clothes that riddled the floor, the pillow that had gotten knocked to the floor in the middle of the night, the bottle of water that Bill had been drinking from the night before. Dipper sighed. 

 

He hoped Bill wouldn’t be gone for too long. 

 

He wouldn’t admit it to his face, but it was becoming hard to imagine bill not being in his life anymore. He was a growing constant in his life, a welcomed change, a loved and loving figure. His dramatics and flare brought a smile to Dipper’s face. His corny jokes and horrible puns had Dipper bursting with laughter that he hadn’t had much of in the last several years. He loved it, every bit of it all brought delighted warmth into his heart and he loved it. He wanted more of the feeling, he wanted Bill to feel the same feeling he felt. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly. 

 

He felt that foreboding feeling tucked away in the dark corners of his mind and chest. 

 

From somewhere in the house, Dipper heard Bill calling to him. 

 

“Dipper? Are you awake yet?”

 

Dipper chuckled, it sounded like Bill was in the kitchen, probably making breakfast for the two of them. He called back an affirming yes, followed up with Bill asking Dipper to bring him his glasses. 

 

“Where are they?” Dipper asked, finally climbing out from the bed, his mind curious as to why Bill had never mentioned wearing glasses before. 

 

“In the top dresser drawer, I think?”

 

Dipper strode across the room, careful not to step on anything, and approached the dresser. He pulled the top drawer open, but didn’t immediately see the supposed glasses. Instead he saw mostly trinkets, things that didn’t really have any place to be put in the room. Several pieces of paper, pens, bars of candy, hair pins, among other things cluttered the drawer. Dipper moved some things around in search when his hand suddenly bumped into something small, something hard. He couldn’t tell what it was underneath all the clutter, but when his hand latched onto it his breath faltered.

 

It was a box.

 

He clumsily yanked it from it’s spot in the drawer, revealing it to the light. It was made from wood, it’s size no bigger than the palm of his hand. He felt like he was shaking. Dipper turned the box over in his hand. There were soft, gold etchings in the wood itself, delicate and intricate designs that must have taken ages to do. When he turned the box over again, he heard a small sound from inside of it. Fearful, he tossed it onto the dresser top as if it stung him, watching it slide a couple of inches across it’s surface. 

 

Do he dare open it? Was it worth it? Why was it here? And just  _ what _ was inside the box?

 

He heard Bill call to him again from inside the house, but he couldn’t hear anything over the beating of his own heart. His fingers twitched. He wanted to rip open the box, to see that he was just overreacting, to know that nothing was wrong and that his brain was playing cruel tricks. He reached for the box again, picking it up like it burnt his hand. Twitching fingers splayed over the lid, and with a hesitant mind he lifted it open. 

 

It was a gold ring. The band was thin and small, just big enough to fit the ring finger of a woman. A simple diamond was embedded into the band, it’s circular shape pristine and it’s shine brilliant. A closer look showed that the band itself was worn, scuffed with extensive use. 

 

It was a wedding ring. The band was full and large, just enough to fit the ring finger of a lover. A beautiful diamond was hand crafted into the band, it’s circular shape forever and it’s shine blinding. A closer look showed that the band itself was loved, marked with burning passion. 

 

Dipper’s hand was shaking more now. Why did Bill have this? And for how long? Why was it hidden away, such a powerful symbol out of sight? 

 

Was he hiding the ring on purpose? 

 

He heard footsteps approaching the bedroom door. In a panic, Dipper shut the box closed and shoved it to the back of the dresser drawer. As he shut the drawer, the door swung open, revealing the eldest Cipher brother, sweatpant clad with a thin black headband on keeping his hair from his face. “Did you find em?” Bill asked from the doorway. 

 

“F-find what?” Dipper stuttered. 

 

Bill’s eyebrow rose a fraction, amused, “My glasses?”

 

“Oh... “ was all Dipper could manage. 

 

Bill chuckled, crossing the gap between him and the younger man. He came within a foot from Dipper, reaching over to open the drawer. With a quick rummage, Bill plucked a thin pair of rectangular glasses from the mess, pushing them into place over his eyes. Dipper had never known Bill needed glasses, and the sudden knowledge irked him. 

 

“Ah, much better,” Bill sighed with relief, shutting the drawer, “Having to wear these is such a pain.”

 

“You never told me you had to wear them,” Dipper spoke his previous thought aloud.

 

“I don’t  _ need _ to wear them, but the last couple of years my eyes sometimes don’t want to focus right,” he explained casually. “Figured it wasn’t a big deal though to mention.” Dipper hummed, his irritation growing as he watched Bill turned around to head back to the kitchen. 

 

“I wonder what else you haven’t told me,” Dipper caught himself muttering under his breath. 

 

The comment shocked him. 

 

_ … that wasn’t his voice …  _

 

He was too stupefied to notice that Bill faltered in his steps. He turned back to Dipper, confusion etched into his face. “What did you just say?”

 

Dipper huffed, his embarrassment overshadowed  by his own irritation. He brushed passed Bill, not repeating what he had said, but rather saying that he hadn’t said anything in the first place. Bill watched the man walk out of the bedroom, feeling his anxiety rising bit by bit. But instead of asking again, he let the question go and followed him down the hallway. Dipper went to sit at the dining table, refusing to look at Bill completely, his mind wandering back to the wedding ring.

 

Who did it belong to? The obvious choice was Bill, but Dipper knew that none of Bill’s fingers could fit into a ring that small in size. The band was just too small, too delicate for him. Maybe Tad’s? His hands were a bit smaller, but that didn’t seem right either. It wasn’t Will’s ring either, Dipper knew for sure. The boy was too young to have such a ring. Just who did it belong to?

 

What was it doing tucked away in Bill’s drawer? Surely a ring of such stature wouldn’t just be hidden out of sight like that. It was a ring meant to be worn, meant to be shown, it’s simplicity nearly screaming it’s possessiveness. It was a logical conclusion. It was hidden because someone didn’t want to see it. That someone was Bill. He wanted such a beautiful ring out of his sight. He wanted to forget its existence, and yet he was too attached to get rid of it completely. What was it doing tucked away?

 

The thought of the ring brought a bitterness to Dipper’s mouth. Maybe it… maybe it belongs to… 

 

_ … oh god …  _

 

Bill set a plate and fork down in front of him. The delectable smell of scrambled eggs filled his nose. But it’s appeal wasn’t enough to bring Dipper to pick up his fork and dig in. He merely stared at the dish, unwavering. 

 

“Dipper…?” Bill asked slow, “Are you okay? Are you not hungry?”

 

“No… I’m not…” Dipper managed to get out. 

 

“I mean, I can make you something else if you want?” Bill suggested, about to walk into the kitchen again. 

 

“Don’t worry about it.” 

 

There was an harshness uncharacteristic to Dipper in his tone, and it stopped Bill in his tracks right there. They remained in an unnerving silence. Bill was afraid to move. Dipper was afraid to look up. 

 

Dipper pushed his food away, his voice breaking their silence. 

 

“Will you promise to tell me the truth?” 

 

Bill’s eyebrows shot up on his face. The question was concerning on it’s own, but Dipper’s mannerisms right now only added to his worry. 

 

“Of course Dipper.” 

 

_ … wrong, wrong, wrong …  _

 

Dipper closed his eyes. His breathing was slowing down.  _ Remain calm _ .  _ Remain calm _ . 

 

“What’s the box in your dresser drawer?” he asked him. And he waited. And waited. 

 

If his eyes were open, he would have seen the confusion flash across Bill’s features. If his eyes were open, he would have seen the way Bill stepped forward silently towards him, only to step back. If his eyes were open, he would have seen the sudden realization on Bill’s face. If his eyes were open, he would have seen Bill relax, now aware of the situation. If his eyes were open, he would have seen his answer. But instead he heard, 

 

“Do you mean the ring?”

 

Dipper’s breathing stopped completely. His heart lurched in his chest painfully. Why had he said it so casually? He opened his eyes, finding an amused grin on Bill’s face. It hurt to look at. 

 

“Yes, the ring,” Dipper snapped at him, rushing up from his seat. The chair got pushed back from the movement, dangerously close to falling over. “Just why in the world do you have a  _ woman’s wedding ring _ ?” 

 

Bill felt the shift in the air, taking a defensive step backwards. His features scrunched together, highly aware of the waves of emotion coming from Dipper. “Well it isn’t mine! It’s - “

 

“Well no shit it’s not yours!” Dipper fumed, turning away again. 

 

“Dipper what is the matter with you right now?” Bill demanded, stepping towards the man. But with each step, Dipper took another in attempts to keep the distance between them. Their movement revolved them around the dinner table once before Bill stopped. 

 

“Nothing’s the matter,” Dipper said haughtily. “Other than you  _ keeping secrets from me _ , nothing's the matter.”

 

Bill looked dumbfounded, “What secrets? I’ve never kept any secrets from you!”

 

“Then why didn’t you tell me about the ring before?!”

 

“Because there was no point in bringing it up! Why does it even matter, it just belonged to - “ 

 

“To who? The only woman in your life that could have possibly had that ring is Ashter!”

 

The silence that followed was deafening. Bill’s eyes were wide with shock. Dipper’s mouth shut with an audible snap. Had he really just said that aloud? He felt his hands trembling. He felt his eyes watering. 

 

_ … cried, cried, cried …  _

 

“Why do you have her ring?” Dipper sobbed, “Tell me why you still have her damn wedding ring!”

 

“It isn’t even hers!” Bill stormed. 

 

“Don’t you lie to me Bill Cipher!” he yelled. 

 

_ … why, why, why …  _

 

“I’m not even lying!” Bill shouted back. 

 

Dipper was having flashbacks of his dream the night before. Flashbacks of Bill leaving him, leaving him for  _ Ashter _ .  Them dancing. Kissing. Embracing each other in the dark night. And he was left all alone, casted aside without a care in the world. The images hurt him bad, they damaged him, and he couldn’t tell if what he was seeing was a horrible reality or a demented illusion. 

 

Bill didn’t love her right? Bill didn’t want to marry her right? Is was all just an elaborate mistake right? He didn’t love her anymore right?

 

Anymore?

 

Had he loved her before? Before Dipper came along?

 

But didn’t Bill love him?

 

_ … loved …  _

 

He was lying. Lying, lying, lying. Wasn’t he? 

 

“Why would you even keep such a stupid thing?” Dipper demanded. “What does it even mean to you? You don’t  _ love  _ her do you?”

 

And suddenly Bill’s hands curled into fists, and Dipper felt like he somehow hit a nerve he should have. 

 

“Don’t you  _ dare _ disrespect my  _ family _ .”

 

Family? Wasn’t he a part of Bill’s family? Wasn’t he as much of a caregiver for Will? Wasn’t he as much of a brother for Tad? Wasn’t he as much of a lover for  _ him _ ? He let out a startled laugh. 

 

“Family?” Dipper scoffed with disbelief.  _ “How in the hell is she part of your family _ ?” 

 

Bill went unnaturally still. Dipper couldn’t hear him breathing. It didn’t look like he even was. 

 

_ … gone, gone, gone … _

 

“Leave.”

 

Dipper couldn’t hear him, the word too faint for his own ears. “What?” 

 

And through gritted teeth, Bill looked at him with anger the likes of which Dipper had never seen, “I said you need to  _ leave _ .

 

Now.” 

 

His voice was calm. Terrifying.

 

If Bill had said anything more, Dipper didn’t hear. He didn’t let himself hear. He forced his legs to move. He walked back to the bedroom to grab his phone. He walked back out, he didn’t allow himself to look at Bill. 

 

Dipper was out of the house in under a minute. 

 

Bill watched him go without a loving word.

 

The front door slammed behind him loudly. 

 

The house went silent.

 

The sounds of morning surrounded him. 

 

The sun was shining brightly down onto him, but he never felt colder in his life. 

  
  


_ … when had it gotten so cold? _

 


	20. The Reason We All Fell Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A.K.A. The Argument (Interlude)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the looong absence (again), life just hit like a ton of bricks, and I had to give up writing for a while. But, I am thankfully back, and I plan on uploading at least one new chapter every week until the story is complete. I'll upload Sundays/Mondays generally, this chapter was a little tricky due to how unplanned this whole scenario was between Tad and Wendy (oops, happy accidents). 
> 
> This chapter is kind of short, originally I intended the conversation between Tad and Wendy to be more lighthearted that led back to the situation from the last chapter with Dipper and Bill, but somehow yet again these characters have a mind of their own. I ended up rewriting the entire thing and scrapping nearly a page and a half of dialogue that just didn't fit right. (So essentially we all will just have to wait and see what happens to these two because I sure as heck don't know.) 
> 
> Aside from all that, there will be about 30 chapters total, give or take one more possibly depending on how things work out. 
> 
> It's good to be back! I'll try to keep an eye out for comments as much as I can, my schedule is pretty hectic, but all you readers are much loved and cherished!
> 
> \- V
> 
> P.S. - These future chapters will be much more plot driven instead of random occurrences, leading up to the finale. Buckle up, it's gonna be a bumpy ride *evil grin*

Something was up. That much she knew. She just didn’t know what.

 

Wendy watched her somber co-worker on his break, a cup of coffee in his hands as he observed the hustle and bustle of city goers. Two things were wrong with this picture, one being that Dipper never would drink coffee this late into his shift. It was nearly one o’clock; he usually would drink tea or water, not coffee. Secondly, he would never sit out on at the tables on his break. He would usually stand and hang out near the counter, despite her best efforts to get him to actually sit down.

 

There was a third thing she noticed, but it wasn’t a visual sign. Visibly, Dipper was fine. He walked into work today as he normally would, greeted the customers as he normally would, filled their orders as he normally would. No, it wasn’t anythings she could see, but rather it was something she could _feel_. Dipper talked like normal, acted like normal, but she felt a tense coldness around him. Like he was restraining himself from something, but what was he restraining himself from?

 

It was alarming really, this sudden change in his demeanor. He wasn’t like this the last time Wendy had seen him. Then his smiles were genuine, his mood was light, his voice cheerful. Today she could see through his forced smiles, his almost too happy mood, his lively but strained voice. It worried her immensely.

 

But she couldn’t do anything about it without the man withdrawing completely from her.

 

It had happened once before. She had approached him one day when he didn’t look too good. An act of kindness and friendliness she thought, reaching out a hand to someone in need. But instead Dipper all but ran away from her, forcefully shutting down his exterior so his interior didn’t show. It was horrifyingly amazing, the way he just shut her out like that.

 

Later on he apologized profusely, saying that sometimes he just didn’t know what to do when he was out of sorts and someone suddenly comes to him asking what’s wrong. In a way, she understood. It was like catching a deer in headlights.

 

Wendy didn’t know what to do. So instead, she sent him out on more breaks than usual. The incoming of customers was slow today thankfully, strangely abnormal for a Thursday, but she didn’t dwell on it much. She merely took it for granted as she handled the few that did come in by herself.

 

She looked at the clock that hung on the wall. It read fifteen past one now. She sighed, peering back over to her companion. ‘ _Maybe it’ll do him some good to go on a quick food run_ ,’ she thought, stepping out from behind the counter. She figured it would be fine, no one had came in for twenty minutes now, and it wasn’t particularly close to the rush hour. A couple of minutes of fresh air wouldn’t kill him.

 

“Hey Dip?” she asked as she crossed over to him, pulling out the wallet from her back pocket.

 

Dipper looked up from his seat, and he put on a wary smile, “Yeah? What’s up?”

 

She handed him a twenty dollar bill, “Would you mind running to Taco Bell or someplace to pick me up some food?”

 

He nodded, standing up from his seat, “Do you want your usual?”

 

“Yeah, and use whatever’s left to get you something too if you want - don’t worry ‘bout the mess, I’ll get it.”

 

Dipper gave her a grateful look, a genuine one she could tell, and he made his way back behind the counter to grab his jacket and keys. Wendy waved him off, and the jingle of the bell from the door was the last noise that sounded through the quiet coffee shop.

 

Wendy went about picking up the empty coffee cup and the napkin that rested on the table and throwing them into the trash. After, she looked around the small space, deciding that if anything she could use the time to clean up the floors and other tables. She went to the supplies closet, opening it’s door to grab a broom and dustpan. Faint memories fluttered into her mind, ones of Dipper and Bill way back when. She recalled the pair stumbling into the coffee shop one afternoon, drenched in sweat and talking animatedly.

 

She smiled, remembering the warning she gave to Dipper of Mabel coming by, remembering the look of terror on both of their faces, remembering the way Dipper moved so instinctively as he grabbed onto Bill, throwing them both inside the closet to hide. She chuckled at memory then. It was amusing to watch them peak hesitantly from behind the door.

 

_“Don’t worry guys,” she had told them, laughing, “They’re gone now.”_

_They stumbled their way out then, Bill nearly tripping over Dipper, their shirts slightly askew and breathing harder than usual. She saw the blush across Dipper’s face, the way Bill’s pupils were blown wide, the way they hung closer to each other than they were doing  before. "_ _I hope you two kept that closet clean,” Wendy bemused to them, earning a couple of pairs of eyes on her at the comment. Dipper nearly froze with shock, and Bill, being Bill, had told her, “Don’t worry! We didn’t dirty it up too much!” That had shook Dipper out of his stupor, and he swatted lightly at Bill, alerting him to the fact that there were other patrons in the shop._

_The laugh Bill let out then was enough to make anyone smile._

The sound of the front door opening, it’s bell ringing, brought Wendy back to the present. She shook her heading, turning to see who had walked in.

 

“I was wondering if Dipper was in?” the man asked her. He was a tall, fair skinned guy dressed in a simple black tee and black jeans. His hair was black too, slicked back in a casual but formal way. He looked familiar to her, but Wendy couldn’t put her finger on it.

 

“Depends on who is asking,” Wendy said, surprising herself with her defensive tone. Dipper is upset she justified, it was normal to be defensive when your friend was upset.

 

The man smiled, raising his hands into the air as if he were surrendering, “I mean no harm!” He then reached out a hand to her while the other was still suspended high, “I’m Tad Strange, a friend of Bill Cipher. I believe I met you some time ago?”

 

“Ah,” immediately Wendy’s defensive wall crumbled, and she extended her own hand in greeting. “I remember you now, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen you.”

 

They shook hands, and Wendy watched as Tad’s smile turned into a smirk.

 

“You’ve got a firm grip there,” he commented, catching Wendy off guard.

 

She shrugged, “Comes with the territory, when I’m not working here I’m usually helping my dad with his carpentry.”

 

“Well, there’s nothing more admiring than a firm handshake,” he said with genuine thought.  He turned to peer at the counter for a mere second, but it was long enough for a sudden light blush to creep across her features. It wasn’t quite a flirtation, but rather just an honest observation and honest compliment. She wasn’t accustomed to such comments, or maybe it was just the way in which he had spoken.

 

“I don’t mean to just barge in like this,” Tad began, turning back to her, “It seems as though he and Bill had gotten into a misunderstanding, and now both of them are avoiding each other.”

 

‘ _So that’s what’s wrong with him today_ ,’ she thought with earnest.

 

“I just sent Dipper on a food run actually,” Wendy admitted, “but you’re welcome to wait here until he gets back.”

 

“Thank you,” Tad said with another smile. “While I wait, could I order a cup of coffee?”

 

Wendy let out a chuckle, amused at the wording of his question, “Of course dude, but let me be professional real quick.”

 

She left the broom and dustpan to lean on the wall and she walked past Tad, going to stand officially behind the counter. Tad followed her, an amused look on his face as he watched her fix her apron and hat.

“Alrighty, what can I get ya today sir?” she asked him with a jovial tune to her voice.

 

“Hmm…” he pondered briefly before responding, “I think I’ll take just a regular medium black coffee - “

 

Wendy picked up the medium cup, preparing to place it under the coffee dispenser.

 

“ With ten sugars, please,” he finished.

 

She paused, looking up at him with a surprised expression, “You’ve got a sweet tooth, huh? Didn’t peg you as the type.”

 

Tad chuckled, “Depends on my mood, really, but right now it felt like a good decision.”

 

Wendy nodded, going about filling the order. Once she had the lid on tight, she handed it to the man, “Well, you should consume less sugar, you’re sweet enough already.”

 

Tad was already mid sip when he received the pick up line, the combination of surprise and the hot coffee causing him to cough aloud. He covered his mouth with his hand in the process, all the while Wendy with a smug look on her face.

 

“A line like that would have made me wonder if Bill was here,” Tad admitted, recovering from his small outburst.

 

A sudden question popped into her head, and without much hesitation she asked, “How did you two meet anyway? At first glance you guys are almost opposites really.”

 

“Well,” he began, holding the coffee cup in both his hands, “We had met in grade school, probably even a little earlier than that. He has his version of the story and I have mine, but essentially we had been placed at the same table together. At the time we weren’t the closest of friends, but we warmed up to each other after a while.”  

 

Wendy noticed a visible change in his expression, the way his eyes almost glazed over as he continued to speak, cast down at his coffee. His once cheerful demeanor turned into something woeful.

 

“We graduated high school together, but we went to different colleges. He stayed here while I went off to Seattle. I didn’t hear much from him in the meantime, but he called me occasionally to check up on me and what I was up to. It was near the end of college when I got a strange call from him asking if I could come back for a couple of days. And… that’s what I did. I was expecting to see him, all bright eyed and bushy tailed, but instead what I came home was to…”

 

_Tad reached the front door of the small house. It was quaint, unnoticeable, not something he imagined Bill to be living in. But regardless, he knocked on the front door and waited. He heard a clang from within, followed by the rush of footsteps. The door and Tad’s eyes swung wide open. Bill looked disheveled, his hair pulled back and messy, deep set bags under his red and irritated eyes. But what drew Tad’s attention was the small, sleeping bundle in Bill’s arms. A little boy, near identical to Bill himself._

 

_“Bill…” Tad was speechless._

 

_“It’s not what it looks like,” Bill started in a quiet tone, “But Tad I need your help with him.”_

 

_“Is he yours?” he asked, incredulous, “You’re only like twenty-three and you’re raising a child?”_

 

_Bill’s face hardened at the comment, “Yes, he’s mine. He’s my brother.”_

 

_Tad was so shocked, and he didn’t say anything more._

 

“...Bill, raising a child, his brother no less, all on his own. He had no idea how to even begin to take care of someone as young as Will was at the time, and he asked me then for help.”

 

_“Move in with me, Tad.”_

 

“But why was Will with Bill to begin with?” Wendy asked him. His tightening grip on his coffee cup made her regret the question immediately.

 

“The pregnancy with Will left their mother bedridden for a long time,” he told her. “Bill didn’t even know about Will until their dad called him the day after she’d given birth. He dropped everything to come see them, even put the remaining of schooling on hold for them. It would be about a year before Bill decided to raise Will on his own. The increasing time he spent with his dad was… troubling to say the least, and he didn’t want Will to grow up with a negative influence.”

 

 _“He can’t go back, Tad,” Bill sobbed, cradling the young boy close to his chest. “He - he just - he_ can’t _go back. I won’t allow it. I could - I could never forgive myself if he grew up thinking… that he was the reason we all fell apart. I don’t want that… I’d rather die than have that…”_

 

“The road to where we are now was a long one, full of custody battles after their mother’s death, the expenses of raising a child nearly put us both in financial ruin, having to console both Bill and Will throughout the years, endless nights of just neverending tears and nightmares…”

 

Tad looked up at Wendy then with a soft smile, “It’s been rough, but we don’t regret a single thing we’ve done.”

 

_“Thank you…” Bill rested his pounding head on Tad’s shoulder. “Thank you.”_

 

“I…” Wendy didn’t know what to say. Her chest, her heart ached with a sad pain. A great pity. An even greater admiration. “That’s… just wow…”

 

Tad let out a mellow laugh, setting his drink on the counter. He was even closer to the counter then she had remembered, when did he get so close? “It is just wow, isn’t it?”

 

They stood in a comfortable silence, looking at each other with a mutual feeling.

 

That silence was broken by the ringing of the front bell, and they both peered towards the door. Dipper was walking in, a Taco Bell bag in one hand and a receipt in the other, “Hey Wendy, I got you a number 7, but they didn’t have Mountain Dew so I just got you - “

 

He looked up and froze at the sight of Tad.

 

“Hello Dipper,” Tad greeted him, “Long time no see, huh?”

 

Dipper looked to Wendy for help, but she shook her head lightly.

 

Tad turned back to her, fishing his wallet from his back pocket. Wendy stopped him half way, “Don’t worry about, it’s on the house.” He smirked, “Then consider it a generous tip from me to you, dear.” He handed her a ten, their hands lingering ever so slightly. Before he turned back, he pressed a finger to his lips, whispering, “My history is safe with you, isn’t it?”

 

Wendy mimicked the action, raising her own finger to her lips, shushing lowly.

 

He mouthed a message to her, one that made her eyebrows raise up, and with all the grace in the world, he turned back to Dipper and walked to him.

 

Their conversation was drowned out by the sound of her heart beat. She watched them go, Dipper waving an apology to her and a request to leave early. Tad gave her one last nod, and then the pair disappeared from the store front.

 

The shop was silent once again. But she was able to hear Tad’s last promise to her loud and clear.

 

_I’ll be back later._

  



	21. Mother Raised Me Right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes out to all the mothers out there, Happy (Belated) Mother's Day.
> 
> \- V

From the floor Bill could hear the late June winds breeze passed his open windows. The trees outside rustled invitingly, but Bill found his current position, lying down with his face shielded by his folded arms, to be much more favorable for his predicament. Sitting outside with the warm sun basking down on him, watching happy families and cars go by, breathing in the fresh summer air would be too risky. Because if he were out there, right now, soaking in that sun and watching those people go by and breathing that air, there was a very real chance that _he too_ would be in the sun, people watching, breathing. And whose to say that _he_ _too_ could end up walking right in front of his house, or passing by in a car? The danger was very real, and Bill didn’t know if he could handle that risk head on today. Or tomorrow. Or the next day.

 

Bill was good at aversion. He could sneak his way out of any and all bad situations when it comes down to it. Sneaking out of that one house party back in high school when the cops had shown up unexpectedly? Easy, peas-y. Getting out of having to take that college algebra final exam even though he wasn’t exempt because his grade was a eighty-four percent? No problem. Running away from his wedding because by the grace of some higher being the window wasn’t sealed shut and he was alone and he just happened to get away because _he_ left his car door unlocked?

 

Probably not his brightest moment, but it happened.

 

Bill sighed. He felt his body sink further onto the bedroom floor. He didn’t need to get up and look into a mirror to see how haggard he was. His stubble scratched his forearms whenever he shifted slightly. He knew his hair was probably knotted and dirty, but instead he just pulled it back with hair tie to keep it out of his face. His bare chest was cold against the floor, and his old sweatpants were covered in rips and holes. Bill raised his head, resting his chin on his arms now. He blinked a couple of times, attempting to rid his eyes of the tiredness they had latched onto from lack of continuous sleep. He glanced around the room.

 

It was spotless. After the incident with... _him_ , Bill felt the urge to clean the entirety of his room. It had taken Bill all day, his sluggish limbs not wanting to cooperate with the will of his nerves, but he had gotten it done. His bed sheets were cleaned, his laundry got washed, his floors swept, trash taken out. He even went and reorganized his closet and dressers. The only halt in his work was when he came across her ring. Part of him was just thankful that her ring was still there in the first place. He had taken the ring and it’s box and placed it on the nightstand, unsure of what to do with it at first really. But instead of dwelling on it, he ignored it for the time being and finished cleaning his room.

 

That was several days ago. The incident was still fresh in his mind and heart. He wanted to do something about it. He wanted to go to _him_ , wanted to tell _him_ everything, wanted to explain to _him_ why it was there. Bill hadn’t seen _him_ since that day. _He_ didn’t come by once to the house, didn’t come by to get _his_ things, to see himself or Will or Tad.

 

Will.

 

Will was smart enough to know that something was wrong with Bill, especially considering that it was Tad that had to take him to summer day care these past couple of days. Bill was usually the one to take him, and sometimes he’d even stay with Will and play with him all day there. Another telling sign was Bill’s lack of desire to go outside his room.

 

Tad.

 

Tad was putting up with most of Bill’s mood. Bringing the older man snacks when he didn’t feel like going to dinner, not mentioning _his_ name whenever he was around, trying his best to explain to Will that everything was alright and that he shouldn’t be worried. Bill knew that Tad would drop everything to help him, but he also knew that Tad was a little irked by the situation. At _him_ for jumping to conclusions and at Bill for not going to see _him_.

 

He sighed again, closing his eyes. The house was too quiet. It was weird. Bill had heard Tad leaving earlier to take Will to daycare, but that had been nearly almost two hours ago. It took maybe ten minutes to walk there and back, and Bill could understand the man wanting to get out of the house for a bit to grab something to eat. But surely both of those things combined wouldn’t take up to two hours, right?

 

As if on cue, Bill heard the front door creaking open, the silence of the house now broken. But something stopped Bill from getting up to see the man. No, not something, _someone_. Tad was talking to someone, his voice too low for Bill to pick up anything he was saying. The guest’s voice was low as well, and if it hadn’t been for his closed bedroom door, he would be able to tell who it was. From where he was, Bill listened as best as he could, but to no avail.

 

There was a pause of silence, and for a moment Bill wondered if the house was just haunted and he was hearing things.

 

Much to his relief, he finally heard Tad’s voice clearly, calling to him from the front room. “Bill! I’m home - I hope you’re still not moping in your room, because we have a guest!”

 

“Who?” Bill called back, shifting so that his elbows were propping him up now. He still couldn’t see the door from his position though, so instead he chose to stare outside.

 

The lack of response from Tad left him suspicious, and right as he was about to ask again, he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway. Bill felt a small prickling of fear go down his bare spine. ‘ _Maybe the house really is haunted_ ,’ he thought fearfully. ‘ _That would explain a lot actually_.’ The footsteps stopped right outside of his door. From behind him he heard the doorknob beginning to turn, the door being pushed open slowly. The door itself seemed to falter for a second, it’s creaking abruptly stopping. Bill shut his eyes again and held his breath, waiting for the ghost to walk closer.

 

The floorboards creaked under the ghost’s weight as it started again towards Bill. He felt the sensation of something hovering over him, it’s feet planted on either side of his body. He waited. And waited. And then… rustling, more creaking, and…

 

Someone was sitting on him? The weight of someone else’s body was placed onto his back, and when he snapped his eyes open he could see a jean clad leg stretching out to his right side. He felt a foot heel against his bare rib cage.

 

“Hey…” he heard _him_ say from above, _his_ voice soft and sweet and terrifying all at once.

 

_Dipper._

 

From his position, Bill couldn’t see the younger man at all, and he didn’t want to just be talking to his leg. “Hey...could you lift yourself up for a sec?”

 

And the weight disappeared. Bill took this opportunity to carefully flip himself over onto his back, cautious so that he didn’t run into Dipper’s limbs. Once over, Bill positioned himself sitting up with his legs crossed. With Dipper still hovering over him, Bill patted his own thighs, signalling for Dipper to sit down. The younger man compiled without hesitation, readjusting himself so that he sat snugly in Bill’s lap.

 

Bill wrapped his arms around Dipper’s torso, pulling the man close enough so he could rest his weary head against him. He couldn't help but melt into the younger man, the constant worry that ate him alive was starting to all but dissipate when he felt Dipper's warmth.  “What’re you doing here?” he murmured against Dipper’s shirt.

 

Dipper let his own arms rest against his sides. His fingers twitched the touch the man holding him, but he told them to wait just a bit longer. “Tad told me to come and talk to you.”

 

“Did he now?” Bill’s arms loosened slightly, his arms falling to rest lower on Dipper’s waist.

 

Dipper nodded slowly, “I… I’ve also been meaning to stop by actually. I was just… I guess Tad was the last little push I needed.”

 

Bill pulled back to stare at him for a moment. Dipper still looked the same as he did several days ago, but was he expecting him to look differently? There were noticeable bags under the young man’s eyes, and his hair was a little more messy than it usually was under his cap. But he was still the same other than that, no drastic change of his hair or his clothes…

 

“Were you working earlier?” Bill asked, noting Dipper’s uniform shirt.

 

“Yeah, I was on my break when Tad came into the shop,” Dipper filled him in. “Wendy let me take off early to come by here.”

 

“Well, that was nice of her,” Bill said with a soft smile.

 

Dipper nodded again, and the pair was plunged into quiet again. From afar, Bill could hear Tad moving about in the kitchen and living room, light, human footsteps walking about.

 

“You know,” Bill admitted, a short chuckle under his breath making him pause. “At first I thought you were a ghost.”

 

Dipper raised an eyebrow, confused, “A ghost?”

 

“Yeah, I heard you walking in but I didn’t think anyone was really there because you were so quiet.”

 

“Oh…” Dipper found himself letting out a small laugh as well. “Well, I didn’t want to barge in on you, especially after… my outburst last time.”

 

Outburst was one way of putting it Dipper thought, and he corrected himself, “Not an outburst really, more like me just being confused and jumping to conclusions.”

 

“Well, you could say it like that yes,” Bill said with a little edginess. Dipper felt it as well, and pushing aside his panic in favor of forgiveness, he finally allowed his hands to move on their own accord. He unwound Bill’s arms from his waist and laced their fingers together. Dipper bent his head down enough to bump his forehead against Bill’s.

 

“I’m sorry Bill,” he whispered to him. “I shouldn’t have acted the way I had did.”

 

Bill felt the way in which Dipper relaxed further into him, leaning heavier onto him.

 

“I had a nightmare that night,” Dipper went on. “I don’t remember the details of it all, but I remember waking up and thinking that you had left me for good… for Ashter actually. It freaked me out really bad, and then when I saw that ring I thought…I thought it was hers and _god_ it really scared me and I know it shouldn’t have but… then I went on to say all those horrible things and then when I stormed out I was so sure that you hated me and I didn’t know what to do...”

 

Bill sighed, finding himself pulling away from Dipper to look him in the eyes. Dipper looked at him with a sincere sadness, one that made Bill want to rip out his own heart.

 

“Dipper, there’s only one person I hate in this entire world, but that person isn’t you.”

 

Both relief and slight surprised filled him in that moment; Dipper was glad that Bill didn’t hate him, but it left him wondering who Bill _did_ hate.

 

“Did Tad tell you who the ring did belong to?” Bill asked him.

 

Dipper shook his head, “All he said was that it belonged to someone special.”

 

Bill smirked at that. Leave it to Tad to take matters into his own hands, but leave the best part for others.

 

“To put simply, that ring is the only thing I have that belonged to Marie.”

 

A sudden rush of guilt overcame Dipper, but before he could say anything or apologize again, Bill continued on.

 

“She didn’t own very many things. Being materialistic wasn’t her thing. She would trade stuff for experiences any day. But the few things that she did own meant the world to her.” Bill nudged his head to the direction of the ring sitting still on the night stand. “That ring was given to her by her own mother, my grandma, when she turned eighteen. She had told me that that ring was passed down for generations to be used as a wedding ring for the children. It would  go to the eldest daughter first, and then onto the second oldest and so on. However Marie turned out to be a single child, so my grandma decided to give it to her as a birthday gift instead of as a wedding present.

 

And when Marie had fallen ill, she gave the ring to me. It’s the only thing I have of hers in my possession.”

 

Dipper saw how tired and troubled Bill was by it. It was in the way he couldn’t look Dipper in the eyes, refusing to look anywhere but the floor boards. It was in the way he spoke so delicately and reverently of her, the way many people spoke of the dead but it was more than just that. It was in the way his fingers tightened and loosened around Dipper’s, a tick of Bill’s Dipper had gotten to know well.

 

“What was she like?” Dipper asked him, both out of respect and curiosity. Anything he had learned about Marie was either from Tad mostly or Will occasionally. But Bill, he never really out right asked Bill about her.

 

“What was she like?” Bill repeated.

 

Dipper nodded.

 

“Well… she was… she _is_ the most beautiful woman I ever had the pleasure of meeting.” Bill smiled at the thought. “She was always so energetic and passionate about everything and anything. It would be hard not to fall for someone like her really.

 

Growing up, I was around her the most. She stayed home everyday while my father would go to work. He had hired nannies and babysitters, when soon as he left in the mornings, Marie would call them and tell them to not worry about coming in. After that, we would spend hours with each other. She tried teaching me how to cook, but I was never quite good at it, and she switched to baking desserts just for me. Everyday we would sit and talk and play games and just have fun really. Not only that, but she was also my best teacher. With her I learned how to read and write and speak English and Spanish, much to my father’s disapproval. However I didn’t just learn simple things like that.

 

Marie taught me how to receive and give love to others, even if they weren’t the best of people to you. But she also taught me how to love and let go. Let go when things just weren’t alright, when things should and could be better, when things just became too much. She said to me,

 

‘ _No matter how much you love someone, all the love in the world won’t be able to change their mind or heart sometimes.’ “_

 

_“What do you mean, mama?” a young Bill asked, tiny fists wrapped up in his shirt as he watched his mother move about their tiny kitchen. She stopped then, a bowl and whisk paused in her hands as she looked down at her son. With a sigh, Marie put the whisk in the bowl and set the bowl on the dirty counter. She then knelt down, picking her young Bill up by the arm pits to hold him close to her._

 

_“What I mean by that,” she began, bouncing the boy in her arms as she walked to the living room. “Is that at some point in your life, there’s going to be someone you love dearly, someone you’re going to care for deeply.”_

 

_She sat down on the couch, moving Bill so that he sat safely on her thigh. “But you may find that they aren’t the best of people, or that they might hurt you or lie to you. And you may find that you won’t be able to decide what to do, you love them so much, but you can’t stay with them if they hurt you like this. So what do you do?”_

 

_Bill shrugged, kicking his tiny feet bouncing back and forth against her. “You stay don’t you? Because you love them.”_

 

_Marie gave him a loving smile but shook her head, “No my dear, you leave because you love them.”_

 

Dipper saw Bill snap back into reality with a light shudder and the shake of his head before he went on.

 

“I was too young to know what she meant at the time. But when she passed away, and when I found myself taking care of Will… I figured it out, and I figured out how she came about in thinking that way...  But, I learned it the hard way really. She taught me early on that it was okay to leave those you love for the sake of yourself, that it was okay to be selfish sometimes, that no matter what, there are times where you need to put yourself first before you can love or help anyone else. Your own love can change who you are, for better or worse, but that doesn’t mean that it can change someone else.”

 

Dipper didn’t know what else to say except, “I wish I could have met her…”

 

Bill smiled, “You two would get along pretty well actually. She was always ready to get to know people that I knew and get involved.”

 

“I can imagine so,” Dipper said with his own smile. His smile faded slightly though. “I really am sorry Bill, if I had known I wouldn’t have acted so childishly…”

 

“Being an adult is hard,” Bill acknowledged, bringing their entwined hands up a bit between them. “Sometimes we have to act like children to see the better of things.”

 

Dipper watched Bill examine their hands together, turning their palms in and palms out, before letting go completely in favor of having Dipper’s hands lay in his.

 

“You know Dipper, Marie’s ring could probably fit pretty snug on your finger,” Bill said absentmindedly.

 

Dipper felt his heart stop.

 

He sputtered, his face turning red quickly, “P-please don’t say things like t-that - “

 

Bill looked up, confused for just the briefest of moments before what he said finally caught up to him. His eyes widened ever so slightly, and he felt heat spread along his own cheeks. But he was quick to getting himself out of the situation, and he forced out a wide, mischievous grin, “Whaddya say Dipper? Wanna marry an old fart like me?”

 

Bill leaned forward then, throwing Dipper off balance as he fell onto his back in front of Bill. It was Bill’s turn to hover over Dipper, and with a foot of space between them Bill grasped Dipper’s hand and kissed his knuckles, “Not only are weddings pretty memorable, but I heard that the sex is even better.”

 

Dipper let out a half shriek, half surprised laugh, “Oh my god Bill!”

 

The pair fell into a fit of laughter, and soon Tad was calling to them to come eat a late lunch.


	22. Growing Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little late due to myself gradUATING YESTERDAY. *cue a shit ton of noise makers* 
> 
> But aside from that, I wanted to explore Tad and Bill's back story a little bit, and this chapter plus the next upcoming chapter both make references to Chapter 5: Pick Up Lines. 
> 
> Also, this is just a little sidebar, but over the past week I took the time to reread Runaway Groom in it's entirety and holy hell it's all a mess LOL. There are so many discrepancies and gramatical errors that I didn't take notice of until now, which is actually kind of embarrassing if I'm being quite honest. Sooo, on top of writing these upcoming chapters, I will be taking the time to go back through the previous chapters and in attempts to fix any errors that I come across. In essence, Runaway Groom will be "under construction", but you lovely readers will still be getting weekly updates. I will mark when, on each chapter, maintenance had began and ended, and hopefully by the time the last chapter comes out, the story itself will all be completely edited and corrected. *fingers crossed*
> 
> Anyways, thank you all for the comments and kudos and for reading this in general! Happy reading :] 
> 
> \- V

 

His alarm clock began to beep. Tad, 10, groaned softly, rolling over on his side in attempts to reach the snooze button, missing yet again by several inches. He groaned, even louder, and sat up slowly in his bed. He swung his legs off the bed, his feet barely touching the floor, and he reached over to cease the shrill beeping clock. Bleary eyes read the time and date displayed in the obnoxiously bright red letters.  _ 6:35 A.M., 26 AUG 1998.  _ He sighed. It was too early. He was tired. He wanted to go back to bed. He didn’t  want to go to school. He sighed again, knowing that it was no use in trying to talk his way out of going to school today. 

 

It was only the second week of fifth grade. His mom would probably flay him alive if he said he wasn’t “feeling well”. 

 

With weighted steps, Tad pushed himself up off his bed and began to get ready for school. By seven o’clock, Tad was fully dressed and groomed, his backpack packed and his lunch made neatly, his shoes tied on just right and his jacket zipped up. His mom gave him a kiss on the forehead, giving him the customary “Have a good day at school sweetie, mommy’s going to be home late today so I won’t be able to pick you up from school”, to which Tad nodded silently before he shut the front door behind him and began the trek to the designated bus stop. 

 

The walk was another silent one, with only the wind to keep him company as he walked down the sidewalks. He counted his steps diligently, boredly. It took approximately 289 steps to get to his bus stop. Roughly five minutes, give or take. But it was a long five minutes it felt like. And so he counted onwards, watching his surroundings carefully. 

 

Around step 243 is when Tad noticed an unfamiliar figure from afar waiting at the bus stop. Tad stopped abruptly, staring. It was a young boy, probably around his age maybe, with a head full of blonde curls and a worn out backpack that was nearly double his own size. 

 

It felt like his routine was disrupted, but he didn’t know what to do about it. So he kept on counting. When Tad neared the strange boy looked up in his direction. There was almost a restrained look on the boys freckled face, almost like he was trying to hold something back. That something, Tad would soon find, would be his very own personality. Tad stopped right next to the boy, step 289, and after a beat of silence, Tad nodded to him in a form of greeting. 

 

The young blond seemed surprised at the act, taking a step back only to do the same, if not a little exaggerated. It made Tad raise a curious eyebrow, but he said nothing more as the school bus pulled up right on time. He boarded without hesitation first, leaving the blond to stumble in after him. 

 

Ever since that fateful encounter, Tad began noticing the boy more and more, both in class and out of class. That day he learned the blond’s name, Bill Cipher, the transfer student. At first glance, the boy seemed shy and timid, but Tad’s gut told him that that probably wasn’t the case. From afar, Tad watched Bill become accustomed to his new surroundings and new classroom. From up close, Tad would catch the same school bus as Bill every morning, always nodding a greeting to receive a nod in return. It was odd, but after several weeks, it became Tad’s new normal. 

 

But they never spoke much to each other. Tad sat in the front of the classroom, not by choice much to his classmate’s disbelief, while Bill had to take a seat in the back. There would be moments in the day where they would notice each other, acknowledge each other’s presence, and then proceed on to their own friend groups. And then there would be moments where Tad would catch him staring. It wasn’t a creepy stare, moreso just unexpected, but Tad found that it really only occurred during group discussions. Tad wasn’t going to comment on it, he had no real reason to because it didn’t bother him, so why raise a fuss? 

 

However, it would be a simply comment from Bill one early morning, at step 290, that would forever break what Tad deemed to be “routine”. 

 

Tad reached their bus stop, nodding to Bill. Bill returned the gesture, no longer awkwardly, but Tad noticed a fidget in his steps, in the way he held himself then. Tad wasn’t going to note it, until he heard the blond blurt out, 

 

“I don’t want to sound, like, creepy or somethin’, but I think you should raise your hand more often in class.” 

 

Tad startled, taken aback by the sheer fact alone that Bill had just spoken to him, breaking their mutually silent spell. But the comment registered, and Tad’s eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, “I’m not sure I really follow.”

 

Tad watched Bill collect his words before he spoke, “Well like, I… I kinda realized that I like listening to you whenever you talk aloud. Your voice is just really nice.” 

 

The school bus arrived, but Tad was too dumbfounded to notice, rather staring at Bill then with wide eyes and his mouth slightly slack. That was the first time Bill entered the bus before Tad did. 

 

Over the next couple of weeks, their teacher began to take note of how frequently Tad spoke in class. 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


His alarm clock began to beep. Tad, 12, sighed and rolled over, reaching out to make the shrill beeping stop. His fingertips grazed the snooze button, and with a little nudge, he was able to turn off the alarm clock. He didn’t need to look at it’s bright red letter to know the time or date. Tad knew it was about six thirty, and he knew that it was Bill’s birthday. 

 

Bill would be turning 13. 

 

His eyes wandered over to his desk, finding a neatly wrapped package containing Bill’s present; the young blond had been eyeing a certain anthology of works from Shakespeare at the bookstore, and if his sullenness in finding that the book was no longer there was anything to go by, Tad knew Bill would love his gift.  

 

With a bounce in his steps, Tad got up from bed and began getting ready for the day. He was out the door a little earlier than normally, his polo unbuttoned and his backpack full, his sneakers loosely tied and his hair brushed back, his sacked lunch protected in his backpack, and Bill’s gift in hand. His mother waved him goodbye, ‘Have a good day at school sweetie’ she told him as Tad waved back to her, already knowing she was going to be home late again tonight. 

 

He counted his steps as he walked. On step 221 he found himself at the bus stop, a new record for him. But, much to his dismay, Bill was nowhere in sight. It was strange, arriving earlier than his friend did. Maybe Bill was running late? Or maybe he got to sleep in a little? 

 

Tad’s mind came up with reasons, but his gut told him to worry for some reason. 

 

And worry he did, for when the bus came, Bill still had yet to arrive. And when Tad got to school, Bill was nowhere to be found. And when lunch had rolled around, Bill still hadn’t shown up. And when the last bell of the day rang, Bill wasn’t there to walk with Tad to their school bus. 

 

Tad had refused to put away the gift, even while he walked home, with the hopes that Bill would suddenly pop up right in front of him. 

 

Hours passed, and Tad began to worry more and more. There still was no sign of his friend, no telling of where he was or what he was doing. It was unusual for Bill to miss school, especially an entire day. Even if Bill was sick, he would come to school for a half day before being picked up by his mother at lunch. Tad decided to leave the gift on his bed, as he needed his desk space to work and didn’t want the added distraction of the gift as a reminder of his missing friend. It was hard though. Every so often, he would turn around, wondering if the gift would magically be gone somehow, only to be disappointed that it was still there, sitting on his bed. 

 

Tad ate dinner alone in his room, his homework keeping him company as he worked in silence. It was something he was used to by now, eating alone. His mother worked late nights and often would get home at early morning hours. But despite that, he would always see her before leaving for school, and she would always offer to make him some breakfast. He would politely decline, seeing the suppressed tiredness in her eyes and silently wishing for her to go back to bed as soon as possible so she could get some decent rest. 

 

However, it would be mid bite when Tad would hear something rapt against his window pane that would break this “routine” too. 

 

Tad startled, dropping his fork onto his desk  in surprise. There was a tap at his window, but that would be impossible. His room was on the second floor of his house, there would be no way someone could climb so high up -

 

There was another tap, and Tad quickly rose from his seat, abandoning his work and food to investigate his window. He crept over, bent low at the knees, and waited for the tapping to happen again. It would be another minute until he saw a tiny object fly into view, hitting his window gently before disappearing from sight. Confused, Tad peeked out. 

 

Down below, basked in the light of the setting sun, was none other than Bill Cipher, holding small rocks in his hand. Upon sight of his missing friend, Tad lurched from his position, raising the window pane in a rush.

 

“Bill?” he called out below, leaning slightly out of the window. 

 

Bill waved at him sheepishly, “Hey...could I come up?” 

 

Within a matter of minutes, Tad found himself sitting cross legged on his bedroom floor in front of Bill. Tad took notice of the tiredness in Bill features, his once carefree smile now forced, his voice almost soft but edgy. There was something weird in the air, and Tad couldn’t figure out what it was. Maybe it was because of the demeanor of Bill being so un-Bill, but the way Bill unconsciously kept rubbing his shoulder and forearm made Tad suspicious. 

 

“Why weren’t you at school today?” Tad asked, paying close attention to Bill’s reaction. 

 

Bill did it again, rubbing his shoulder as he spoke, “It’s… I just slept in actually. And when I woke up, mom told me to just stay home.” 

 

Lie. Tad knew that was a lie. And he knew that Bill would never lie. 

 

Tad remained expressionless, “You’re not telling the truth.” 

 

Bill flinched, and internally Tad did too. The last thing Tad wanted to do was pressure the blond, but he didn’t beat around the bush when he thought something was wrong. Bill forced another smile, one that made Tad want to shake him senseless, and said, “It’s the truth, one hundred percent real realness right now.” Bill raised his arm then, putting up a boy scout's honor sign with his hand. It made his sleeve slide up just so. 

 

It was enough for Tad to see a hint of discoloration, a deep mark of purple that disappeared under his shirt. 

 

His eyes narrowed, a fierce anger rippled through him when he realized what the mark was, but he was quick to reel it all back in. No reason in getting angry at Bill. 

 

It wasn’t Bill’s fault.

 

“Cain did that to you didn’t he?” Tad gritted out, deathly wishing he was wrong. 

 

The happy facade finally fell from Bill’s face, replaced with a sullen and pitiful look, and Bill slowly put his arm back down at his side, his sleeve covering the bruise completely now. Bill smiled sadly, spoke lowly, “He did… but it was my fault really… “

 

Tad felt like exploding, “ _ How _ ?! How is it your fault? That sorry excuse for a fathe-”

 

“I just told him something I shouldn’t have and he got upset by it,” Bill interrupted, already knowing Tad’s dislike for Cain. 

 

“What did you tell him that caused him to  _ manhandle  _ you, Bill?” Tad watched Bill take in a shuddering breath. 

 

“I told him… that I thought, that I might be gay.”

 

Tad stared at his friend. His mind was blank.  His breathing didn’t stop, but it slowed down abnormally. “... you might be gay?” he repeated tonelessly. All at once Tad saw the fear in his eyes, the crushing defeat, the unsureness of what to do, a dark and scary unknown. Bill nodded, averting his eyes from Tad’s own.

 

What was Tad supposed to say to that? Homosexuality wasn’t a conversation he had a normal basis, if anything it was avoided by his peers and family members. Before Tad didn’t know anyone that even  _ was _ gay, and yet here he was, with his close friend coming out to him. What was Tad supposed to say? His silence grew long, and he knew Bill’s worry did as well.

 

It was Tad’s turn to sigh. “Bill, what time it is?” he asked instead. 

 

Bill’s body almost stuttered, but he leaned over to check Tad’s alarm clock. “It’s almost eleven.” He was about to ask if Tad wanted him to leave, but his words got caught in his throat when he watched him stand up. Without a word, Tad walked over to his bed, picking up Bill’s gift before coming back and setting it right in front of the blonde. 

 

Bill was confused. “What’s this?”

 

“It’s your birthday present,” Tad said simply. “Open it.” The blond didn’t hesitate, quickly picking up the present and tearing off the wrapping. 

 

After happy shrieks, happy tears and a surprise tackle, Tad found himself lying on his back and Bill seated comfortably with his head resting on Tad’s abdomen. It was strange. Tad knew that something like this would happen. Bill was the type of kid to have bursts of energy when extremely elated, and Tad expected some sort of hug from the blond to begin with. That wasn’t what was strange. It was strange that Tad didn’t feel any different than he would have now knowing that Bill liked guys. 

 

They laid in a comfortable silence, Bill reading bits and pieces of his new book, while Tad stared up at the ceiling. 

 

_ Bill was still Bill _ ,  _ that much wasn’t going to change _ .  _ Even Tad knew that _ . 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


Tad, 18, woke up before his alarm did. He turned, reaching a lanky arm out to turn the clock his way. Bleary eyes noted the time in their bright red appearance - 6:13 A.M.. He pushed the alarm clock back into it’s spot and took a moment to stretch his limbs. He sat up slowly, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed. His bare feet made contact with the cold floor, causing him to shiver slightly. 

 

Tad took his time getting ready, pulling on a pair of jeans and a band tee shirt, his hair a wild mess, his sneakers loose on his feet. He slipped on a jacket as well, and grabbed his nearly empty backpack from the side of his bed. He made his way to the kitchen quietly, he knew his mother must be asleep still and… 

 

He peaked into the living room, his eyes traveling to the loveseat situated under the front window. There, buried under a heap of quilted blankets, was none other than Bill Cipher, only visible by the wavy blond hair that wasn’t hidden under the blankets. Tad would have cringed at the way Bill was curled into himself on the loveseat, he knew it must be uncomfortable to sleep there, but this sort of thing happened so often now that Tad was used to seeing him like this. 

 

It was all thanks to Cain. 

 

Tad frowned at the thought of Bill’s old man. He felt a bitterness boil in his stomach, but he let it stew for the time being. Instead, he ducked into the kitchen and began preparing breakfast. It would be ten minutes later, after Tad already finished making eggs, toast and coffee, when Bill himself stumbled into the kitchen, one of the quilts wrapped around him. Tad heard the teen mumble something along the lines of “Buenos días”, but it was stifled halfway through by a yawn. 

 

Tad smiled, forgetting for just a moment his friend’s predicament in favor of a lighter subject, “Good morning to you too.” 

 

He watched Bill shuffle over to him, already preparing for the weight that Bill was about to put onto him. Sure enough, when Bill had finally made it next to Tad, he leaned heavily against Tad’s side. Bill lazily and tiredly pointed at the scrambled eggs sitting on the stove, and Tad couldn’t help but chuckle as he grabbed a plate for his best friend. 

 

It was mornings like these that Tad gladly welcomed into his routine. Even if they were due to Bill’s unfortunate circumstances. 

  
  


**V^**

  
  


Tad, 28, didn’t wake to the sound of his alarm clock, but rather to the sound of laughter coming from somewhere in the small house. He blinked his eyes open, confused for only a moment until he recognized just who was laughing. 

 

Will. And Dipper too. And if they were awake already, then Bill must be as well. 

 

Tad rolled out of bed, not bothering to red the red digital numbers on his alarm clock. He threw on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, and brushed his fingers through his hair to untangle the strands. He strode out of his room and down the hallway, the sound of voices getting a little louder and louder. He paused just at the end of the hallway, peeking into the kitchen where he saw Dipper and Will making breakfast together. Tad smiled at the sweet scene in front of him, but he did notice that Bill was nowhere in sight. 

 

Silently, he backed away, not wanting to interrupt the pair, and walked back down the hallway to Bill’s bedroom. The door was closed, but he had no hesitation as he reached forward and grasped the door knob. He turned it, pushing the door open to be greeted by the sight of Bill, clad in sweatpants and a wrinkled shirt, sitting on his bed with his back against the wall. He was looking out of the bedroom window when Tad entered, but his eyes shifted almost immediately to focus on the other man. 

 

Tad noticed the way one of Bill’s hands closed into a fist. 

 

“Just wanted to see if you were awake,” Tad greeted him with earnest, leaning against the door frame now. 

 

Bill smiled easily, his position relaxing. “Good mornin’. I’ve been up for a while actually.” 

 

Tad nodded, “Dipper and Will are in there making breakfast, they’ll probably come get you here in a little bit.” 

 

Bill himself nodded, and Tad watched the older man get up from his bed. He crossed the room to his dresser, opening the top drawer to drop something inside before shutting it again. Tad’s eyebrow raised with interest, a smug grin finding it’s way onto his face. When Bill looked up, Tad could have laughed at the way a blush crept along his nose. 

 

Tad didn’t need to see what Bill had been holding to know what it was. And Bill knew that too as he walked past without a word. 

 

The dark haired man lingered in the doorway, his eyes finding their way back to the dresser drawer. 

 

‘Maybe it’s about time I start looking for an apartment of my own,’ he thought idly. Tad knew that Bill would disapprove, but Tad’s gut feeling was telling him that he was going to have to move out soon to make room in this small house. He chuckled to himself before shutting the bedroom door, eager to join the rest of the family in the kitchen. 


End file.
